


Harry the Virgin

by reminiscingintherain



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: But it's here, Doctor Lottie Deakin, It's late, Jane the Virgin au, M/M, Mpreg, OKAY IT'S HERE, Student!Harry, all things pregnancy related, because she changed her name and I never actually explained why but oh well, hotel owner!Louis, photographer!harry, there's vague descriptions of childbirth, uhhh, ultrasounds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:53:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 31,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21772507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reminiscingintherain/pseuds/reminiscingintherain
Summary: "See, Mum? Iron deficiency, I reckon," Harry gave a relieved nod."Not quite, Harry," Liam corrected. "You're pregnant."The three members of the family stared at him for a moment, before they collectively burst into a fit of laughter."Uhh, congratulations?" Liam offered, looking slightly confused."That's impossible," Harry snickered. "I'm a virgin!"~~~~Or, the Jane the Virgin AU, featuring Harry as Jane, Louis as Rafael, Eleanor as Petra (but she doesn't reform), and Lottie as Luisa.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, past Louis Tomlinson/Eleanor Calder
Comments: 19
Kudos: 190
Collections: HL TV SHOW FIC FEST 2019





	Harry the Virgin

**Author's Note:**

> Wow. Okay. This took far longer than I expected. But then, I also expected this to come in at around 15k, and here we are over 30k later...!
> 
> A huge thanks to the mods for being understanding - especially as I've been writing this around assignments for school!!
> 
> Huge thanks go to my awesome beta [Lynda](http://wait4ever.tumblr.com/) for doing a stellar job as always, and the fabulous [Evi](http://evilovesyou.tumblr.com/) for my gorgeous moodboard, and your beautiful drawing (that was a complete surprise to me!! <3).
> 
> Shout out to my Stitch and Bitch GC for your amazing support. You're all awesome.

Harry Edward Styles was a normal 21 year old boy.

He was studying photography at Manchester Uni, while working part time as a concierge at a nearby hotel, and living in a flat he shared with his best friend, Niall Horan.

He was incredibly close to his mother, Anne, and his big sister, Gemma.

He had known from a fairly young age that he was a, gay, and b, a carrier - meaning that should he decide to in the future, when he was grown up, married to a loving husband, and ready to take that step, he would be able to carry a child of his own. This was something he had dreamed of ever since he had worked out that he was more interested in flirting with the boys in his school than the girls. He only wanted to share hair tips and nail varnish with those.

There was one other thing to know about Harry Edward Styles, something that is incredibly important for this story.

Harry was a virgin. This was completely by choice. He'd had many an opportunity to change that, especially since he'd been in uni, but he'd made a promise to himself and his mother, many years ago, that he would keep himself chaste until he was married. Partly because of the whole carrier thing, but also because he strongly believed that it should be something that was shared solely with the one person he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

So this is where we start. In Manchester. With Harry.

_ Harry the Virgin _

It was a normal Monday, just like any other normal day. Harry had a 9am lecture on perspectives and framing, followed by a session in the photography lab to develop the roll of film he'd shot over the weekend, then lunch - shared with Niall and Lewis, a friend of Niall's from his music course.

After lunch, and before his shift at the hotel began, Harry had a quick routine appointment at the doctor's office.

One of the extra complications about being a carrier meant that, despite not being sexually active ( _ yet _ , his brain always helpfully added), Harry was advised to have regular check ups, to make sure that everything was correct and as it should be, to avoid anything going wrong should he ever decide to try for a baby in the future.

It was one of these routine checkups he was going for when his life changed irrevocably.

He entered through the front door and gave his name to the receptionist, giving her a bright smile when she signposted him down the corridor to the waiting area. He took a seat next to a young-looking brunette, who gave him a disdainful once-over and shifted her weight, turning her back on him.

Harry shrugged and pulled one of his textbooks from his bag, flicking it open to the chapter they would be discussing in his seminar the next day.

"Eleanor Tomlinson?"

"Harry Styles?"

Two nurses called out a few minutes later.

Harry and the brunette both stood at the same time, eyeing each other distastefully, before grabbing their bags and following the nurses down the corridor and into rooms opposite each other.

"Hello, dear," the nurse greeted Harry. "You're here for your routine examination, is that correct?"

"Yes, it is," Harry smiled politely. "This is the first time I've been here, so I'm a little nervous. Is that stupid?"

"Not at all, not at all," the nurse gently squeezed his arm as she gestured for him to take a seat on the bed. "I think it's perfectly understandable, to be honest with you. But you don't need to worry. Doctor Deakin is a wonderful doctor. She's incredibly professional, and very discreet."

"Okay, that's brilliant," Harry flashed a nervous smile. "I admit that I chose this particular surgery because of Doctor Deakin. She has some fantastic reviews online, and my mum said I need to always make sure that I go somewhere that's highly rated, so." He shrugged slightly. "Sorry, I ramble when I'm nervous."

"No need for apologies, dear," the nurse chuckled warmly, before she got him to remove his jeans and briefs, and covered his lap with a sheet. "Right, I'll leave your file on the door, and Doctor Deakin will be in with you shortly."

"Thank you," Harry nodded and pulled his textbook back out, resting it on his lap to read.

What Harry was unaware of, was that Doctor Deakin had just split up with her on-again off-again boyfriend, so was in a bit of emotional distress. Also, she just so happened to be the former sister-in-law of the other patient who had been called at the same time as Harry.

The other patient. Eleanor Tomlinson. No, not the red-headed actress from Poldark.

Eleanor was the ex-wife of Louis Tomlinson, director and CEO of an expensive and exclusive chain of hotels - The Tomlinson Group. Louis and Eleanor had split up the year before, following a particularly stressful year of illness (Louis') and adultery (Eleanor's).

But we'll get to the reason for her visit to the doctor's office later.

Harry was just beginning to get concerned about Doctor Deakin's non-appearance, when the door flew open and the blonde doctor bustled in, a tray in hand with his file balanced on the top.

"Sorry, sorry," she apologised quickly. "We've not met yet, have we? I'm Doctor Charlotte Deakin. And you're..." she glanced over the file in her hand, "Harry Styles?"

"That's correct, yes," Harry nodded, giving her a slightly nervous smile as he slid his textbook off of his lap and down into his bag.

"Okay, that's good," she nodded. "Let's get your feet up into the stirrups, and we'll get this over with quickly and painlessly."

"O-okay," Harry stammered, his eyes a little wide.

"And you've not been sexually active in the last two weeks?" Doctor Deakin checked, guiding his feet up into the stirrups and taking a seat on the small stool, wheeling it into place between his legs.

"No, no," Harry chuckled softly. "Don't worry. That's not an issue at all. I'm still a vir--" he cut off with a soft yelp as he felt something cold slide up into his rectum, before a cool sensation spread out a little, making him wriggle slightly.

"There we go, all done," Doctor Deakin patted his knee gently.

"Um, okay," Harry carefully lowered his legs, raising an eyebrow. "When do I get the results?"

"I would suggest around three to four weeks, at the absolute earliest," the doctor replied, frowning slightly as she signed the form on the top of the file. "If you have any other questions, then please feel free to contact my secretary, and I will get back to you as soon as I can."

Harry frowned in confusion, but didn't get a chance to say anything, as Doctor Deakin left the room as quickly as she'd arrived. He shook his head slightly - it had been nothing like any of his previous examinations with Doctor Elford at his old GP surgery in Holmes Chapel, but he figured that perhaps these things were done differently in the city. Without giving it another thought, he pulled his briefs and jeans back on, slipped his feet into his trusty Chelsea boots and grabbed his bag, swinging it up onto his shoulder as he left the room and the surgery, heading down the road towards The Manor - the hotel where he worked.

While he left, Doctor Charlotte Deakin was stepping into the other examination room, stopping dead when she saw her former sister-in-law.

"Oh, Eleanor," she said flatly. "How can I help you?"

"Good afternoon, Charlotte," Eleanor said smoothly. "I've decided that my relationship with your brother isn't done yet. I had the lab unfreeze some of Louis' sperm. I'm here to get pregnant."

Charlotte stared at her blankly for a moment, before her eyes widened slightly.

The year before, Louis Tomlinson had been diagnosed with testicular cancer. He went through treatment, including surgery to remove the tumour followed by a course of chemotherapy, and had been given a clean bill of health. Due to the risk of infertility, the doctors had recommended that he freeze samples of sperm prior to treatment, so that he would be able to use them later on.

Now, despite the divorce, it seemed that Eleanor thought she had the right to use one of them. And Charlotte had just realised that in her distracted state, she'd somehow given the sample to her previous patient - Harry.

Swallowing hard, and trying to pull herself together, Charlotte straightened her spine as she stood in front of Eleanor.

"You have no right to my brother's sperm," she said, attempting to be firm in her tone. "You're divorced, Eleanor."

"Hmm, unfortunately that information hasn't been passed onto the lab," Eleanor said softly, a smirk on her face. "So as far as they're concerned, I still have as much right to those samples as dear Louis does." She shifted her weight in the seat. "Besides, you don't want to waste any of his precious sperm, do you? Because if you don't put it inside me, it will have to be disposed of."

Charlotte took a deep breath and took a seat, hiding how her hands were shaking as she thought fast, grabbing a pipette from a drawer.

"I'll tell him, you know that, right?" she said quietly.

"Oh but you won't," Eleanor said confidently. "It would be a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality for a start. And also, you won't need to. I plan on telling him this afternoon. He'll have to reconsider my suggestion of a reconciliation then, won't he?"

Charlotte stared at Eleanor in disbelief.

“You don’t mean that,” she said weakly.

“Try me,” Eleanor challenged. “Just get on with the insemination, Charlotte. Let me handle your brother.”

Charlotte nodded uncertainly and crossed to the work counter, thinking fast. She took a deep breath and pulled a bottle of saline from a cupboard, and a fresh pipette from another. After she filled the pipette with the saline, she closed her eyes before she turned around to sit between Eleanor’s legs.

“Ready?” She asked, forcing a smile.

“Been ready for months,” Eleanor declared.

Charlotte ducked her head down, pulling a face slightly as she discharged the pipette where it needed to go - it’s not like she minded the job, but seeing your ex-sister-in-law’s lady parts isn’t exactly the most pleasant experience - and then sat up.

“All done,” she said in a falsely cheerful voice. “You can take a test in three to four weeks, but don’t forget, it only has a 40% chance of working. So don’t be disappointed if your plan fails.”

“Don’t you worry your pretty little blonde head about it,” Eleanor replied with a patronising tone. “I’m perfectly capable of making sure this works out right.”

Charlotte gave a weak chuckle as Eleanor got herself straightened out and left the office.

"I am so fucked," she mumbled under her breath.

\----------

Completely unaware of what had transpired in the doctor's office, Harry went about the rest of his day as normal, heading downtown to the hotel, where he quickly changed into his uniform and took his place behind the reception desk to check in guests for the evening shift, before he went home.

Three weeks later, he had an unexpected surprise in the form of a visit from his mum, Anne, and his sister, Gemma. Gemma had decided to come home from London to visit, and the pair had decided that a day in Manchester, with the youngest member of their family, was just what they all needed.

"What are you doing here?" Harry exclaimed in surprise as he left his flat early in the morning. "I'm off to classes, but you can try and wake Niall up to keep you both company if you'd like?"

"I don't think so," Anne chuckled. "You're playing hooky today, sweetheart. I'm taking my children out shopping."

"But Mum," Harry started to protest.

"No buts," she insisted. "I'm proud of what you're both doing, I miss you, and I'm going to make the most of having you with me for the rest of the day."

"I have work at three," Harry said apologetically.

"Or until three," Anne rolled her eyes playfully. "I promise you won't be late, but you're definitely not going to class."

"Okay, okay," Harry chuckled. "You twisted my arm. Let me just put my books and laptop back in my room, I'll be back in a sec."

"Aww, I wanted to go wake Niall up with a glass of water," Gemma huffed.

"You mean by pouring it over his head, don't you?" Anne asked, raising an eyebrow.

"... Maybe?" Gemma shifted with a shrug.

Anne shook her head with a huffed laugh, but didn't say anything further as they waited for Harry to return a few moments later.

"Okay, let's go then," he beamed, slinging his arms around their shoulders. "Let the spoiling begin!"

"I never said anything about spoiling you, my son," Anne said with a slight glare.

"Oh but you know you will, Mum," he said earnestly. "You love spoiling your favourite child."

"Oi, you're not the favourite," Gemma immediately protested. "That's definitely me!"

"I love you both equally," Anne sighed, trying to derail the long-standing argument before it could properly start. "So let's just go with that, okay? No favourites."

"Definitely me," Gemma mouthed behind Anne's back.

The trio went into town and enjoyed a luxurious brunch in one of the finer restaurants, before they went into the shopping centre. It was only when they left Selfridges that Harry, who had been in the middle of laughing at one of his own jokes, stopped suddenly and looked a little uncertain.

"What's wrong, love?" Anne asked with a frown.

"I'm... I'm not sure," he replied. "I just... I don't feel quite..."

He trailed off as his eyes rolled up into his head and he fainted, collapsing to the ground right outside Burberry.

\----------

When Harry opened his eyes, he found himself on a bed, surrounded by his mum and sister, with bright white lights above him.

"Where am I?" he mumbled, a little confused.

"We called you an ambulance, sweetheart," Anne said quickly. "You're in hospital. The doctors are trying to work out why you fainted."

"I told Mum you were being an attention seeker, but she wouldn't believe me," Gemma huffed.

Harry rubbed at his face, before he started to push himself up into a sitting position.

"No, darling," Anne protested. "Stay there."

"I'm fine, Mum," he insisted. "I just wanna sit up."

As soon as he was more comfortable, a doctor in a set of pale blue scrubs stuck his head around the curtain.

"Ah, you're awake," the doctor grinned. "Hi, Harry. My name's Liam Payne, I've been checking you over today. Obviously there wasn't a lot we could do while you were unconscious, but now that you're back in the land of the living, I can take a few samples - blood, urine - and we can get those checked and see if we can work out what's happening with you."

"O-okay," Harry stammered, his eyes a little wide. "Uh, what do you need first?"

"Well, if I can get you to go to the bathroom and pee in this pot," Liam held it up to demonstrate, "then we'll start there. We can usually rule out the basic stuff with that."

Harry nodded slowly and took the pot from the doctor, getting carefully out of bed and following the directions into the bathroom. A few minutes later, he was blushing hard as he handed back the full sample pot, and perched on the edge of the bed.

"Thank you, I'll just do the initial tests over here," Liam told them, gesturing over to the counter as he made his way over. "I won't be a moment."

He pulled a few things out of the cupboards above his head, humming quietly to himself, while Anne held Harry's hand reassuringly.

"I'm gonna be fine, Mum," Harry told her. "It's probably that I've just been working too hard. You know what I'm like. It's probably a little bit of iron deficiency or something."

"I know, love," Anne gave him a weak smile. "I just worry about you, about both of you," she added with a look at Gemma. "You're my children - it's my right to worry."

"Err, sorry to interrupt," Liam gave them a sheepish smile. "But I've worked out what it is, and there's really nothing to worry about."

"See, Mum? Iron deficiency, I reckon," Harry gave a relieved nod.

"Not quite, Harry," Liam corrected. "You're pregnant."

The three members of the family stared at him for a moment, before they collectively burst into a fit of laughter.

"Uhh, congratulations?" Liam offered, looking slightly confused.

"That's impossible," Harry snickered. "I'm a virgin!"

"I assure you, our tests are 99% accurate," Liam assured him.

"Well, I don't know what to say," Harry chuckled. "But I must be part of that elusive 1%."

"I did three," Liam said flatly, holding the three tests up. "They're all positive."

The laughter from Anne and Gemma immediately stopped, and they both stared at Harry, their expressions torn between wonder and hurt.

"Stop looking at me like that," Harry huffed. "I promise you. I'm still a virgin. This is impo--" He cut himself off and widened his eyes. "Oh no. Oh god no. Please no."

"What is it, darling?" Anne asked worriedly.

"The examination I had the other week," Harry said faintly. "Remember I told you it was a little weird? The doctor seemed really distracted? And it didn't feel like any of the other examinations I've had before..."

"Who was that with?" Liam asked. "I can get in contact with the office and ask that the doctor in question come over."

"Uh, The Beehive," Harry replied. "Doctor Charlotte Deakin."

"Oh, I know Dr Deakin, I'll get a hold of her right now," Liam smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure everything's fine."

As he left the room, Anne looked at Harry worriedly.

"What happened, darling?" she asked gently. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm not sure," he shook his head. "I just know that it was weird."

Anne nodded and rubbed the back of his hand as they waited, while Gemma kept eyeing her brother suspiciously, before eventually blurting out:

"Just admit that you've shagged someone, little brother," she exclaimed. "No one's going to judge you for it. All this whole 'virgin til marriage' thing was your idea anyway."

"I haven't slept with anyone," Harry protested angrily. "Do you really think I'd be going through all of this if I had? I'm not that stupid, or that proud, Gemma. I would own up to it. But I haven't, so I need to know what's going on!"

She rolled her eyes dramatically and huffed to herself as she dropped into a chair on the other side of the room.

"She's not really angry with you," Anne said softly. "You know that. She's just worried."

"I know," Harry sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I just feel sick. Like I've been abused somehow."

"That's cos you have, sweetheart," Anne told him, gently tucking a curl behind his ear. "But we'll get this sorted out. I promise."

Less than an hour later, Doctor Charlotte Deakin came through the door, looking slightly sheepish.

"Hi there, Harry," she said quietly. "How are you feeling?"

"Confused, a little scared, rather violated," he told her. "How are you?"

She sighed heavily.

"I'm so sorry," she assured him. "I know that's not much, under the circumstances. But I'm sorry."

"How about you start by explaining exactly what happened to my son?" Anne asked, her voice cold.

"Oh boy," Doctor Deakin ran a hand over her hair. "Okay. Uh. Well, the thing is. It started out because me and my boyfriend split up. Again." She pulled a face. "I was a little upset. So I wasn't paying attention to the nurses when they put the files and the preparation trays out."

"You weren't paying attention," Harry said flatly in disbelief.

"No," the doctor continued, shifting sheepishly. "So, when the nurses brought you and the other patient through at the same time, I mixed your preparation trays up. I grabbed the insemination tray for you, instead of the examination tray."

"So, I have been inseminated then?" he checked. "I'm definitely pregnant?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so," Charlotte nodded slowly. "But there's something else. Something I would like you to consider, before you decide what you're going to do with the baby."

"It's not a baby yet," Harry muttered. "It's a collection of cells."

"Right, right, I know that," she said quickly. "But, the thing is..." She took a deep breath. "The other patient? She's my former sister-in-law. And the semen, that I used to inseminate you, is my brother's."

Harry choked on a cough.

"I beg your pardon?!" he exclaimed.

"I know! I can't believe she decided to come to me to try and blackmail Louis into getting back with her!" Charlotte threw her hands in the air. "She's a psychotic bitch, and why the fuck she ever thought it would work, I have no idea. Of course, as soon as I told Louis exactly what she'd done, and reassured him that there's no way in hell that it would take - but not because I'd put the sample into you, of course, there is a matter of doctor/patient confidentiality in the way - then he told her exactly where to go." She shook her head. "I just can't believe she'd stoop so low." She paused and rolled her eyes. "That's wrong. Of course I knew that. She's a fucking psycho."

Anne cleared her throat deliberately.

"Shit, sorry, this is so unprofessional. I apologise."

"So, sorry, I'm trying to get this straight in my head," Harry said slowly. "You're telling me that you've impregnated me with your brother's sperm, because your former sister-in-law is a bit crazy?"

“When you put it like that, we all sound like we’re nuts,” Charlotte sighed. “But essentially, yes.”

“And you made that mistake because you were upset about your relationship?” Harry added, blinking at Charlotte’s nod and letting out a heavy sigh. “Right. And incidentally, who is your brother?”

“Oh! He’s the best big brother in the world,” Charlotte beamed. “You’ve probably heard of him; Louis Tomlinson. He runs The Tomlinson Group hotels, y’know that big posh one in town - The Manor.”

Harry paled as he stared at her, suddenly incredibly grateful for being in a hospital bed, because he was pretty sure he would’ve passed out again had he been standing.

“The Manor?” Gemma asked. “Isn't that where you work, Haz?”

“Oh dear...” Charlotte bit her lip worriedly. “Is there going to be a problem?”

“I... I don’t think I can answer that right now,” Harry muttered, running a hand over his face before he looked at her sharply. “You seem awfully confident that I’ll even keep this... whatever it is.”

“Baby, it’s a baby,” she said quickly. “Or at least, it will be, soon. My niece or nephew. And my brother’s cancer treatment left him infertile so this is likely to be his only chance of having a biological child,” she added in a rush.

“And the punches keep on coming,” Harry groaned. “For fuck sake.”

“Harry!” Anne chastised, but it was more of an automatic response than an intentional one.

"Sorry, sorry," he muttered, rubbing at his eyes before glaring at Charlotte. "So what you're telling me is, morally, I should have this baby, and hand it over to your brother so he can have a kid."

"I never actually said that," Charlotte said defensively. "But, y'know, if you felt that way, then I certainly wouldn't argue with you about it."

"You have actually realised he's my boss, right?" Harry sighed heavily. "I work at The Manor, like Gem said. I'm on the front desk. I'm not exactly hidden out of the way. And carriers aren't exactly considered particularly... high class."

"That's an old-fashioned idea," Charlotte was quick to state. "Things are far more positive for carriers these days."

Harry snorted softly.

"Like you have any actual idea," he muttered. "But whatever." He ran a hand through his hair, huffing out a breath. "Okay, I think I need to talk to Mr Tomlinson."

"You can call him Louis," Charlotte offered.

"I'll talk to Mr Tomlinson, then I'll decide exactly what to do with everything," Harry decided. "Can you please set it up?"

"Of course," Charlotte meekly agreed. "I'll let you know when Lou's available."

With that, she left the room, and the torrent of destruction her presence had caused, behind.

"What am I gonna do, Mum?" Harry asked softly, looking up at her.

"We'll work it out, darling," she assured him, slipping her arms around him and hugging him tightly. "I promise. And I'll be here for whatever you need."

\----------

It was over a week later that Harry managed to arrange a time with Mr Tomlinson, via Charlotte - he didn't think he'd ever be able to refer to her as Doctor Deakin again; the respect that the title represented was long gone as far as Harry was concerned. It had originally been suggested that they met at The Manor, but the last place that Harry wanted to have this particular conversation was at his place of work, where he would be very much in the role of an employee, and Mr Tomlinson firmly his boss. So instead, Charlotte managed to arrange for a small suite at The Lowry to be available.

Anne had tried to insist on coming with him, but Harry had put his foot down, and told his mum very firmly that he needed to be a grownup about this, and taking his mother along would most definitely give the wrong impression.

So he wore his nicest black skinny jeans, with his favourite heeled black Chelsea boots, and a black shirt covered in white hearts, and made his way through the front doors of the imposing hotel, feeling a little like a kid being called to the headteacher's office.

"Hi there," he said softly to the receptionist, giving her a careful smile. "I'm Harry Styles, I'm here to see Mr Tomlinson?"

The receptionist eyed him for a moment, before she smiled.

"Harry Styles? From over at The Manor?" she asked.

"Y-yeah?" he stammered, eyes wide.

"It's nice to finally put a face to the name! I'm Elise!" she exclaimed, holding out a hand. "We've spoken a few times about transferring clients. You're definitely one of the nicest people to deal with in Manchester - some of the others can be so grumpy."

Harry blushed hard.

"Oh, yeah, thank you," he said slowly. "It's nice to meet you too." He bit his lip gently. "But I do have a meeting to get to, so maybe we can chat after?"

"Of course, of course," Elise nodded. "Mr Tomlinson is in room 302, on the third floor. The lifts are just over to your right, and you can contact the front desk by lifting the phone in the room at any time."

"Th-thanks," Harry flickered a smile. "See you later."

He gave her a quick nod and moved over to the bank of elevators, pressing the button to go up. As he waited, he glanced around nervously, frowning slightly at the inquisitive yet suggestive look Elise was giving him. Harry flushed suddenly as he realised what she was thinking - that he was meeting with his boss for an illicit encounter. He rubbed a hand over his face as he considered what she would say if she knew that he was already pregnant with his boss' child, but that he'd only actually met the man once before - when Mr Tomlinson had first returned to Manchester after his marriage broke down.

Harry could remember the day fairly clearly, only a mere four weeks earlier - the same fateful day he’d been at the Beehive, in fact. He'd been excited to meet the man who paid his wages, after having worked for the company for over eighteen months. But to say that it had been underwhelming would be an understatement. Mr Tomlinson had breezed into the building, taken his post, barely nodded at Harry, and disappeared with Mr Wright, Harry's manager, just as quickly. When he'd gotten home that evening and told Niall about it, Niall had loudly proclaimed Mr Tomlinson to be an ignorant, arrogant shithead, and made Harry a large mug of tea, served with a plate of Harry's favourite biscuits.

And now, here he was, about to knock on the door of a room containing only Mr Tomlinson, and somehow explain how he was pregnant with his boss' baby, at the hands of his boss' sister. Harry ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath, before he reached out a hand and tapped gently.

A moment later, the door opened, and Mr Tomlinson was gesturing for him to step inside.

"Alright, love?" Mr Tomlinson asked, giving him a warm smile. "Come in, come in. Make yourself at home. Kick your boots off if you want to. Do you want a drink? Something to eat? I can order from room service?"

"N-no, thank you," Harry said uncertainly, feeling a little wrong-footed. After his experience with Mr Tomlinson before, he'd pictured the same standoffish man again, but this person was completely different.

"So Lottie told me the bare bones of why we're meeting today," Mr Tomlinson started as he took a seat on the large sofa. "Needless to say, I have made sure that all of my medical files have had my ex-wife's name removed," he frowned and shook his head. "I'd say that I can't believe her audacity, but that would be a lie." He sighed heavily. "But that's by the by." He looked over at Harry. "I apologise that you've been caught up in this whole thing."

"I... what?" Harry stared at him, slowly lowering himself into the comfy chair. "You're... apologising? To me?"

"Well, yeah," Mr Tomlinson shrugged. "It's not like you asked to be knocked up, is it?"

"Uh, well, no," Harry rubbed at the back of his neck nervously. "I just... I'm sorry, Mr Tomlinson --"

"Please, call me Louis. Mr Tomlinson is far too formal for what's happening here," Louis interjected.

"-- Louis," Harry said uncertainly. "I wasn't expecting this, if I'm honest. From what Charlotte said, this is your only chance at having a biological child, and I got the impression that you'd be a little more pushy about me keeping it."

Louis gazed at him for a few moments, before he let out a heavy sigh.

"I'm gonna be straight with you, Harry - I can call you Harry, right? - okay, so yes, in essence, Lottie is right in that respect. However, I'm not going to force someone to carry a child that they don't want, or they're not ready for. It's your body, not mine. And I will always have the utmost respect for that, and for everyone's right to choose what they do with their own bodies," Louis said earnestly. "So while yeah, that's potentially the only biological child I'll have, at the same time, I'm fairly well off, and I can afford to adopt a kid that needs a home in the future if I'm ever in the position to seriously consider that." He shrugged lightly. "I'm not going to force your hand."

"This is very much not the way I was expecting this meeting to go," Harry said faintly. "Could I please get some water?"

"Of course, love, of course," Louis immediately hopped to his feet and crossed to the sideboard, where a large jug of water stood with some glasses. "And now I have to ask - how did you expect this to go?" He glanced over his shoulder at Harry with a small smile. "Lottie said you work for me, but I'm not sure we've met?"

"Uh, yeah, we have," Harry nodded slowly.

"Really?" Louis raised an eyebrow as he handed over the glass of water. "I'm sure I would've remembered a face like yours."

Harry blinked in disbelief - was Mr Tomlinson  _ actually _ flirting with him?

"I work on the reception desk at The Manor," he said carefully. "You came in a few weeks ago when I was on."

"Ah, I think I vaguely remember," Louis immediately looked apologetic. "That was the day my ex-wife told me she'd got herself inseminated." He shuddered lightly. "Thank fuck that was a load of bollocks." He shot a quick look at Harry. "Sorry. The woman is deplorable. I know it's typical for there to be bad blood between exes, but she's... god, I wonder what the fuck I ever saw in her." He let out a soft snort. "Wish I'd worked out earlier that I don't like women," he added with a roll of his eyes, before he caught himself again. "And that was overshare. I'm so sorry, Harry. I don't have very many people I can talk to about any of this, and I kinda figure you're pretty trustworthy - you've not gone to the papers yet, anyway - so I'm finding myself offloading everything on you. And that's not fair. So I'm gonna shut up talking about me." He rubbed a hand over his face as he shook his head. "Please. Tell me about yourself. What do you do when you're not on the front desk?"

"Uh, well," Harry cleared his throat, feeling a little overwhelmed with everything that had just come out of Mr Tomlinson - Louis' - mouth. "I'm at uni?"

"Here in Manchester?" Louis checked, then smiled at Harry's nod. "What are you studying?"

"Um, photography," Harry said, his cheeks flushing slightly. "I want to be a photojournalist." He shrugged a little. "Well, that was the original plan, but I guess these things change sometimes."

Louis blinked slowly.

"You mean the whole..." he waved a hand loosely towards Harry's stomach.

"Yeah, I guess," Harry nodded. "I mean. If I decide to go ahead with this, then I'm gonna need to have a word with my lecturers and tutors and see how I can get my course rearranged if necessary. And then, I dunno, I guess there'd have to be a discussion about custody and visitation, and who has the primary care, and all that stuff."

"Wait, custody?" Louis looked taken aback. "Visitation?"

"Well, yeah," Harry raised an eyebrow. "This is my child too." He tilted his head slightly to one side. "Or had you - and Charlotte, by the sound of it - forgotten that in all of the fuss over your sperm?"

Louis blushed and looked at his hands.

"I'm ashamed to say that yes, I had," he admitted quietly. "It seems like myself and Lottie had both gotten swept up in it being my sperm, my child, focused on me, and completely neglected to consider your position in this. And as you say, you have every right to all of those things, as you are the other parent."

"I know I am," Harry huffed softly. "I've spoken to a lawyer."

"What?" Louis sat up quickly, his eyes wide with worry. "You've spoken to a solicitor? Are you suing Lottie? Is there anything I can say to change your mind? Cos she and Tommy are back together now, and they've sorted everything out, and she's honestly a really good doctor."

"Not about Charlotte," Harry interrupted with a heavy sigh. "About where my legal rights begin and end with this baby. I wanted to make sure that I did actually have a leg to stand on before I came to see you."

"Oh," Louis said slowly.

"And that I had some rights over what happens to my body during the whole thing," Harry continued. "And it seems that I'm completely within my rights to do whatever I wish."

"Yes, yes of course," Louis agreed.

Harry watched him for a moment, before he softened and relaxed a little.

"Hey," he reached over, gently touching Louis' hand. "I've already made one decision, and that's that I'm not going to get rid of this baby, no matter what. I'll be carrying it through to term. Or at least until it's ready to come out, I guess."

"You - you are?" Louis stared at him, slightly awed.

Harry nodded and took a sip of water.

"I've thought about it a lot - it's all I've been thinking about, to be honest," he said carefully, sitting back in the chair. "While I agree with a person's right to choose what happens with their body, I personally don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I did anything so extreme." He shrugged slightly. "Besides, what if I never get the chance again? I'd far rather have that experience, than not."

"So, we'll co-parent?" Louis asked curiously.

"I don't know yet," Harry said honestly. "I haven't decided yet. I still have a lot of decisions to make, and a lot of choices to pick from. I need to decide if I want the upheaval and chaos that a child will inevitably bring. Whether I want to put my career off for another few years while I'm around for the beginning of their life."

"You wouldn't have to," Louis said immediately. "We'd work it out, so you wouldn't have to miss out on anything."

Harry gazed at him with a small smile.

"That's a nice sentiment," he acknowledged. "But not really something you could promise this early on. It's something we'd have to work out together." He shrugged a shoulder. "It's something we'll work on."

"I'm so unbelievably grateful," Louis said softly. "I don't think I even have the words for it, if I'm honest."

"You don't need to be grateful or whatever," Harry chuckled awkwardly. "I'm just trying to be a decent person, is all."

"I'm still thankful," Louis gave him a gentle smile. "It's more than I could've ever hoped for."

"Well, anyway," Harry cleared his throat, blushing a little. "I've been looking at some work placements at some magazines, or I had been. But I'm not really sure if a magazine environment is right for me." He sighed. "I'm not exactly the most competitive of people. I guess I just need to see how I feel when I get there."

"What made you want to be a photojournalist in the first place?" Louis asked, pulling his feet up onto the sofa next to him.

"Uh," Harry frowned as he thought. "To be honest, I started off wanting to be a photographer. A fashion photographer, to be specific. But my tutor at sixth form told me that it wasn't a 'feasible plan'." He shrugged. "So I changed my perspective." He gave a wry smile as Louis pulled a face. "No, it's fine. This is better, anyway. It's more of a secure plan."

"But that's not what dreams are about," Louis said carefully. "Look, I can remember when I was in high school, my Geography teacher - I can't remember his name, but he was an utter wanker, and a shit teacher to boot - he told me and one of my mates that neither of us would ever amount to anything. Fast forward ten years, and I've got my own chain of hotels, and Dave's a successful boxer." He sighed softly. "My point is, there's a reason why there's the saying 'those who can't do, teach'. Because a large number of teachers, those who didn't set out to become teachers in the first place, they're doing those jobs cos they failed at what they originally wanted to do, y'know?"

"So, you think I should try for fashion?" Harry asked slowly.

"If that's your actual dream, love, then yeah, keep at it," Louis agreed with a vigorous nod. "Stick with your dreams, cos they're so damn important."

"Oh," Harry let out a long breath. "I'll have to think about it. I shoved it down so far, it's not something I've seriously considered for a while." He paused for a moment, then widened his eyes slightly. "Ohh... that explains something that one of my tutors said to me the other day though." He caught sight of Louis' querying expression. "She said that my work is lacking in emotional depth, like I'm not connecting to my subject matter properly." Harry shrugged a shoulder. "I've been doing the stuff I think I should be doing, but nothing that I particularly care about. But I think I know how to change it up so that it'll actually mean something." He smiled brightly. "Thank you so much, Mr T-- I mean, Louis. Thank you, Louis."

"Not a problem, love," Louis smiled softly. "I think you sound like you're in the right place for whatever it was you were doing." He shifted his weight a little, getting comfortable. "But I would like to sort some things out before we leave today. About the baby."

"Of course," Harry nodded. "I need to get registered for my care, and arrange a scan. I think that's the best place for us to start, don't you?"

"Of course," Louis agreed immediately. "I also want you to rest assured that I will support you throughout this. I'll give you my number, and if you ever need anything - anything at all - then just give me a call or a text, and I'll get it to you as soon as I can." He gave Harry a wry smile. "I'm expecting there to be a lot of requests once the weird cravings kick in."

"Heyyy," Harry protested weakly. "I may be lucky and not get any of the weird ones." He paused for a moment before he rolled his eyes. "But Mum often says about the sweetcorn and chocolate ice cream craving she had with Gems, and the peanut butter and broccoli she just had to have when she was carrying me. So I think I'm just going to have to accept that I'm gonna have a weird craving at some point in this pregnancy."

"Well, no matter what it is, or when it hits, just let me know," Louis chuckled. "But also, I want to make sure that you're comfortable. So I'd like to get you whatever clothing or bedding you need - whatever will make your life easier."

"Um," Harry frowned, looking uncertain.

"And another thing," Louis continued on, not noticing Harry's hesitation. "I think you should give up the concierge position. You don't need to work, I can just put some cash in your bank account whenever you need it. But working as well as studying isn't going to be helpful for either of you."

"Excuse me?" Harry asked, his voice flat.

"It'll be fine," Louis shrugged, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "If you just give me your bank details - although I guess I could get them from HR if you don't know them right now --" He glanced up at Harry and stopped at the look on his face. "Have... I said something wrong?"

"Hoo boy, is that a nominee for the understatement of the century?" Harry muttered, pushing himself to his feet. "Goodbye, Louis. I'll let you know when I'm booked in for a scan."

"Wait, what's wrong?" Louis leapt to his feet, darting in front of Harry and gazing up at him, blinking a little in confusion as he noticed the slight height difference between them. "What've I said?"

Harry folded his arms over his chest and glared at Louis.

"I refuse to be your... incubator on the pay-roll!" he blurted out indignantly.

"My what now?" Louis looked even more confused.

"You heard me, Louis," Harry huffed. "I'm not just giving up my job and lapsing into a life of leisure because you say so. I still have rent to pay, bills to pay, tuition fees to pay, study materials to get. I need to work to maintain control over those bills. And I refuse to let you jump in and take control over it. I'm going to work until I'm unable to, and then I'm going to take paternity leave - at which point I will still receive a percentage of my wages - until such time as the baby is big enough to be left with a responsible carer, and I will return to work again."

"You're... not giving up work?" Louis said slowly.

"No."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

"I was being a bit of a dick, wasn't I?"

"Just a bit, yes," Harry huffed. "But I really do need to go. I have a shift starting in just under an hour and a half, and I need to get my lunch first." He glanced at Louis. "And no, you're not going to call in for me, or buy me lunch, or anything else. I'm going, I'm doing this myself, and you're going to accept whatever happens. Aren't you?"

"I, uh, yes?" Louis asked uncertainly, feeling a little like the rug had been pulled out from beneath him somewhat.

"Right," Harry nodded firmly. "I'll let you know when the scan's been booked in. But other than that, I'll see you around at work, Mr Tomlinson."

"Please, please don't call me that," Louis grumbled. "I absolutely hate it. My PA says I can't demand that none of the staff use it though. Something about employee/employer boundaries needing to be respected in our line of work." He sighed. "But I'm determined to break people down on an individual basis. Starting with you, it seems."

"Fine, fine," Harry rolled his eyes. "I'll see you later, Louis."

Without waiting for anything further from Louis, Harry stepped around him and left the room quickly, shaking his head slightly as he pressed the button for the lift and pulled his phone from his pocket. He sent his mum a quick text - ' _ all went fine, don't worry, going to work now, talk later, love you x' _ \- and boarded the lift, leaning back against the wall as he descended to the ground floor, and left through the lobby, avoiding Elise's hawk-like gaze from the front desk. As he took a deep breath of the fresh Manchester air, his thoughts tumbled repeatedly over what had just happened. He couldn't quite believe that he'd agreed to actually carry this baby to term, but as he strolled down the road, he mused that anything else was never really a serious option, not for him.

The rest of the day seemed to pass in a bit of a blur, and before he knew it, he was letting himself back in at his small flat.

"Oi oii," came a soft and tired-sounding Irish greeting. "How's it going buddy?"

"Hey, Nialler," Harry sighed, hanging his coat up and moving into the flat proper. "I'm okay, knackered, but okay. You?"

"Same," he nodded. "Pub was fucking crazy tonight. Literally had em queued out the fuckin door at one point. Exams have the people stressed, man."

"Eugh," Harry shuddered slightly. "It's bad enough trying to get into the library for study space at the moment - practically falling over stressed bodies every five seconds on campus, You wouldn't get me near a bloody pub right now."

"You're only in your second year, pal," Niall joked. "It's not like you're that much older!"

"Oh c'mon, you know I'm far more mature than those kids," Harry protested, grabbing a mug from the cupboard and flicking the kettle on, before he leaned back against the counter.

"This is true," Niall agreed. "You've been an old dude ready for your tanktop and slippers for about five years, I reckon. Gonna have to find a more suitable nickname for you than Haz."

"Well, I should probably tell you something," Harry said carefully. "Cos you're going to notice things changing with me before anyone else really."

Niall frowned as he looked at his best friend and flatmate.

"What's going on, Haz?" he asked worriedly. "You know you can talk to me about anything at all." He pulled himself up onto the counter opposite.

"Okay, well," Harry took a deep breath, centring himself before he met Niall's gaze. "I'm pregnant. And I'm keeping it. And no, I've not had sex. There was a whole thing at the doctor's office that I don't really want to get into right now, but to make things even more complicated, the other father is Louis Tomlinson, and yes, he's my boss."

"Holy shit, Harry," Niall stared at him in shock. "Firstly, I can't believe you said that much that quickly. I don't think I've ever heard you talk so quickly in my life." Harry mock glared at him. "But in all seriousness, shit, man. That sounds beyond fucked. But I'm here for you, no matter what."

Harry gave him a slightly watery smile.

"Thanks, Ni," he said with a small sniffle. "That really means a lot to me."

"So, how is all of this going down?" Niall asked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he leaned back against the table. "I mean, are you giving up your job? Giving up uni?"

"Nope, and nope," Harry shook his head, turning to pour hot water into his mug. "I think -- no, I  _ know _ \-- that Louis was angling for me to give up working so that he could just pay for everything," he glanced over his shoulder to roll his eyes deliberately as he grabbed the milk from the fridge, "but I quickly derailed that. I refuse to be paid for like a... a... an incubator."

"Good on ya, mate," Niall nodded in agreement. "How did it go over?"

"Well, not that brilliantly at first, until he realised that he was being a controlling arsehole, and then he was all apologetic and shit," Harry sighed. "I'll be completely honest though, Ni. If I'd just, like... met him? Without all of this extra stuff going on? I'd probably be interested in the bloke. He's fucking gorgeous."

"Is he now?" Niall smirked, giving Harry an exaggerated wink. "Gorgeous enough to turn the head of Hazza, huh?"

"My head's been turned before!" Harry protested.

"Not properly," Niall pointed out. "You may have glanced occasionally, but your head has most definitely remained facing forward for the most part."

"You make me sound so fucking prudish," grumbled Harry, stirring his tea and dropping the spoon in the sink. "I've been attracted to people in the past. I've made out with a couple of guys."

"I'm not saying you're prudish, pet," Niall said gently. "I'm only teasing. I think it's really awesome that you've been so determined to wait for the right person." He shrugged a little. "Wish I had. Dickhead I slept with was a right inconsiderate fucker." He sighed. "They haven't exactly improved any over the years, either."

"You just haven't met the right person, Ni," Harry said reassuringly. "You'll get there, I know it."

"Hmm," Niall hummed noncommittally. "But anyway. The bossman's a hottie, and you're having tickly down-low feelings about the guy, and you're pregnant with his sproglet." He let out a quiet snort. "Wouldn't it be weird if you wound up dating the bloke?"

"Oh, c'mon, Ni," Harry rolled his eyes. "That would never happen."

\----------

_ Twelve Weeks _

"Are you sure you're okay with going here?" Louis asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Look," Harry huffed as he stopped and glared at the older man. "I said I'm fine with using the Beehive Surgery, so can we please, for the love of God, just get this over with? All I want to do right now is sleep, but I have an assignment to finish, and three textbooks to read in preparation for another, as well as my shift at The Manor later. And no, before you say it, I'm still not giving up work."

"Okay, okay," Louis held his hands up defensively. "I just need you to know that I'm here for you if and when you need anything. And I don't think that all of this stress is any good for the baby."

"Well, no, I don't think it is either," Harry agreed with a grumble. "I have a yoga session tomorrow. That'll help me recentre and calm down a bit. But until then, I'm just... dealing."

"If there's anything I can do..." Louis trailed off, biting his lip. "Sorry, sorry, I know. You know."

"Exactly," Harry sighed. "Let's just... get this done."

He led the way into the clinic and up to the reception desk.

"Good morning, how can I hel-- oh! Louis!" the receptionist greeted them with a smile that only brightened when she spotted Louis. "How's it going? You here to see Lottie?"

Harry cleared his throat pointedly before Louis could attempt to answer.

"Harry Styles, I'm here for my ultrasound?" he said firmly.

"Oh, right," the receptionist blushed. "Sorry, sir. If you'd like to take a seat, Maggie will be with you shortly."

"Not Doctor Deakin?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"No, but I believe she's available for consult if needed," came the reply.

"Okay, thank you," Harry nodded, and turned to take a seat in the waiting area.

"I'll catch up with you later, Tabs," Louis said quietly. "I'm gonna go sit with Harry though. Can you let Lottie know we're here please? But not that we need to see her. Thanks, love." He sat down next to Harry and leaned forward to sift through the magazines on offer. "You didn't need to be quite so rude to Tabby. She's just doing her job."

"She was going to talk to you before she spoke to me, even though I was in front of you," Harry muttered, scrolling through Instagram on his phone. "I'd be out of the door so fast, I'd barely even realise what was going on if I ever did that at The Manor."

"We're not that strict on you," Louis protested quietly.

Harry lifted his gaze from his phone and looked at Louis flatly.

"Are we?" he added weakly.

"You may not be, but Mr Wright certainly is," Harry replied, returning his attention to Instagram.

"Right," Louis nodded slowly. "I'll have to look into that." He glanced over at Harry again. "How was uni?"

Harry sighed heavily, putting his phone down in his lap and glaring slightly.

"You actually want to do this? Small talk, or whatever?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah?" Louis shifted awkwardly. "I just thought it'd be good to get to know each other?" He watched in confusion as Harry huffed out another sigh. "Okay, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Harry muttered. He looked over at Louis, spotting the slightly hurt expression on his face and relented. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be taking my bad mood out on you." He rubbed at his face. "I'm just so tired, and I can't get an extension for these assignments, and I've not handed anything in late before."

"How close are you to being late?" Louis asked carefully, raising an eyebrow when all Harry did was grumble quietly. "Harry?"

"Well, it's not  _ actually  _ due in for another week," Harry mumbled. "But that's not the point!" he added in protest as Louis let out a quiet snort of laughter. "I'm used to getting stuff in at least three days early. This is very stressful."

"Sorry, love," Louis giggled quietly. "I'm sorry. But I think you're probably making things out to be a shit ton worse than they actually are. Just... go home after this, get some sleep, and spend tomorrow with your assignment."

"But my shift!" Harry protested.

"I'll cover you for that," Louis smiled. "I need you to be calm and chilled, not snapping at the customers. So just go and relax. Take a bath."

"I love that you actually think a student flat is big enough for a bath," Harry said with an eye roll.

"Well, have a shower then," Louis shrugged. "You can use one of the rooms at the hotel mid-week if you ever want an actual bath." He bit his lip gently. "Or you could come to mine. I have a fairly large thing," he added carefully carelessly.

"Yours?" Harry widened his eyes a little. "Uh, well, um --"

He was saved from answering anything further by the nurse calling his name, causing him to shoot to his feet and nearly trip over them in his haste to cross the reception.

"Careful there," the nurse gently admonished. "Hello, Harry. I'm Maggie, I'll be taking you in today for your ultrasound -- oh!" She looked at Louis quizzically on seeing him following Harry. "Can I help you, Louis?"

"I'm with Harry," Louis explained.

"Uh, he means, uh, he's coming in with me," Harry stammered, his eyes widening as his cheeks flushed. "We're n-not --"

"Breathe, love," Louis chuckled softly. "Just follow Mags. We'll explain everything when we get in there."

With a soft huff, Harry made his way across the waiting room, following the nurse down the short corridor and into the consultation room, where he carefully hopped up onto the waiting bed, while Louis hung back by the door, leaning against it once it was closed.

"Now then, Harry - can I call you Harry?" - he nodded quickly - "I can see from your notes that you're currently at the end of your first trimester, is that correct?" Maggie gave him a warm reassuring smile.

"Y-yeah, yes," he cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter. "Sorry, yes, that's right."

"And I understand that this was an artificial conception?" she checked.

"Very much so," Harry mumbled, rubbing a slightly shaky hand over his face.

"Okay, that's fine," she caught sight of his slightly worried look. "Don't panic, that has no impact on the baby, or how it develops, it just helps me to understand where you're at, mentally." She gave his knee a reassuring pat. "I promise you, we'll get you both through this perfectly fine - hale and hearty the pair of you!"

"I, uh, I hope so," Harry gave her a weak smile. "I'm just, y'know, a bit, like, nervous, I guess."

"And that's understandable," Maggie nodded. "Every new parent is nervous, no matter how they get into the situation." She glanced back at her notes. "Right, this is a full check up, so I'll need to take all the usual stuff - height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and I'll take some bloods to be sent off to the lab to check everything's fine there. And then we'll finish up with the ultrasound scan, so you'll be able to see your baby for the first time!"

"Wow," Harry murmured, his eyes wide. "O-okay." He glanced over at Louis. "Are... are you okay with all of that?" he asked uncertainly.

"Not me it's happening to, love," Louis shrugged a shoulder and smiled softly. "Are you okay with me staying in here for all of that?"

"Yes," Harry replied immediately. "I-I mean, uh, please. I don't want to do this alone," he added, flushing slightly and ducking his head.

"You're not alone, Harry," Louis reassured him gently. "I promise you, I'll be here for as long as you want me to be." He smiled again. "Although I probably should've warned you that there are twins in my family..."

"Twins?" Harry stared at him blankly. "As in, two?"

"Mmhmm," Louis nodded. "Mum's had two sets. Daisy and Phoebe are fifteen, and the littlies are just coming up three. Doris and Ernie."

"You, uh, you could've mentioned this before?" Harry's voice cracked halfway through his sentence, winding up a in an almost-screech.

"I figured it didn't really make much difference," Louis shrugged a little carelessly. "What's done is done, right?"

Harry stared at him in disbelief, while Maggie busied herself preparing the tray of instruments for taking the measurements she required, wisely keeping well out of the conversation.

"You are such a shit," Harry eventually managed. "And I know you're my boss, but not when we're here, so I can totally say this; but you are such a shit."

"Hey!" Louis protested, a little hurt. "Is there any need for that?"

"Yes," Harry and Maggie both chorused, exchanging grins.

"I am hurt and offended," Louis huffed.

"You'll be more than that if there winds up being two of your kids inside me," Harry glared.

"Now, now, let's not get hasty," Louis changed tack quickly. "You've got like... a two in five chance?"

"Why two in five?" Harry asked flatly.

"Well, Mum had five pregnancies, and two of them were twins, so..." Louis shrugged weakly. "But her first three were singles!"

"Any chance it could've come from the other side of the family?" Maggie asked, curiously.

"Uh, well, no," Louis said uncertainly, running a nervous hand through his hair. "Well, see, I've got one biological donor, then there's me dad, Mark, who's Lottie's, Fizzy's, and the older twins' dad, and now there's Dan, he's the littlest twins' dad." He cleared his throat slightly. "And me aunts are twins."

Harry sighed heavily and sat back on the bed, rolling his eyes.

"Let's just get to it," he said in a resigned tone. "Not much to be done about it, as you say. So we'll just deal with it, if and when."

Maggie had him up on his feet to be weighed and measured, carefully writing each figure down on her notepad, before she got out the blood pressure monitor and slid the cuff up over his arm.

"I hate this part," he sighed. "Always feels like my arm's gonna come off."

"Sorry, love," Maggie apologised. "I'll try and get it over with as quickly as possible though. Then the needle part."

"Oh, I'm fine with needles," Harry assured her. "I've got ink."

Louis blinked slowly.

"You... you have tattoos?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yeah?" Harry raised an eyebrow as he looked over at Louis. "Got a few. Down my arms, across the front of my shoulders, one on my hip." He shrugged a little. "Got a friend who's got a tattoo gun, so I'm a bit like his sketchbook or something," he added with a low chuckle.

"That, uh, that's interesting," Louis said slowly.

"I know you've got at least one, so it's not like you can judge," Harry huffed, a little defensively.

"Definitely not judging," Louis shook his head quickly. "Promise."

"Well, okay," Harry nodded slowly, before he sat up a little and rolled up his sleeve for Maggie to get to the inside of his elbow to draw some blood.

"Wow, definitely a sketchbook," Louis commented, spotting the odd collection of small icons on Harry's wrist.

"These were all done when we were sat watching the telly," Harry chuckled. "As soon as I know everything's okay today, I'll tell him why I can't have any more for a while. He's been giving me weird looks cos I've just been ducking and diving and avoiding him."

"What's your friend's name?" Louis asked, leaning against the side of the bed with his hip.

"Zayn Malik," Harry glanced up at him. "Why?"

"Wait, you know Zayn?" Louis stared at him. "You're  _ friends _ with him?"

"Uh, yeah?" Harry turned a confused gaze to Maggie, who just shrugged as she slid the needle into his arm, drawing a couple of vials of blood. "Is that an issue?"

"No, not at all," Louis chuckled, shaking his head. "I just had no idea that the world was actually this small." At Harry's raised eyebrow, he continued. "Zayn and I go way back. He was actually best man at my doomed wedding. He even tried talking me out of going through with it, three days before." He smiled affectionately. "I haven't spoken to him since just after the wedding, so I don't think he knows that I got out from the she-beast's clutches. I should probably correct that."

"How come you didn't speak to him for so long?" Harry asked.

"Eugh, she didn't like him," Louis rolled his eyes. "Should've been a major red flag - disapproving of my oldest friends. But no matter, I'm out of there now."

"Right, Harry," Maggie said before either of them could continue their conversation. "If you'd like to just swing your legs up onto the bed, and wriggle down. Make yourself comfortable, and then lift your tee up so your abdominal muscles are visible."

"What abdominal muscles?" Harry asked. "I was getting close to having a visible six pack about six weeks ago." He tugged his tee up a little. "Now look at it. Already getting prepped to deal with a baby. I'm insulating."

"That's a good sign," Maggie assured him.

"Of twins," Louis muttered.

"You can hush your mouth," Maggie glared over her shoulder, before returning her attention to Harry. "Okay, this is going to be a little cold, but I can't warm it up, I'm afraid." She squeezed some gel over Harry's stomach, then pressed the ultrasound wand into the gel, swirling it around carefully. "Now then, let's see what's going on inside you."

Harry craned his neck, straining to see the screen from his flat position on the bed.

"Can you see anything?" he asked, sounding impatient.

"Give the lady time," Louis chastised gently, but not really much better, his eyes affixed to the small screen. "Oh."

"Oh? What oh? Why oh?" Harry asked quickly. "Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?"

"Now, there's nothing to worry about," Maggie said carefully. "So please, try not to get yourself upset."

"You do realise that's more likely to get me freaked out than anything else, right?" Harry grumbled. "Just tell me: what's going on? Is it twins? Is that what you're being all weird about?"

"Not quite," Louis said slowly. "Uh..." He glanced at Maggie, who shrugged at him and gestured for him to continue. "Seems you've gone one better than me mum."

"One better? I...?" Harry shook his head in confusion for a moment, before he realised what Louis meant and his eyes widened in horror. "Triplets?? You got me knocked up with fucking  _ triplets _ ?"

"Not intentionally!" Louis protested weakly.

"Jesus fucking Christ, I cannot believe this shit," Harry rubbed a hand over his face. "Why does it always happen to me?"

\----------

_ Sixteen Weeks _

"Okay, so how's it all going?" Maggie asked as Harry took a seat, while Louis hovered in the doorway behind him.

"I had to start wearing paternity clothing about a week after my last scan, I'm already getting heartburn like anything, my feet and ankles are starting to swell, and I'm so tired all the time, it's ridiculous," Harry blurted out, covering his mouth with a hand, before he burst into tears.

Both Maggie and Louis stared at him for a moment, before Louis promptly knelt down next to him and took his hand.

"Hey, hey, easy there, love," Louis said gently. "It's okay, it's gonna be okay." He looked at Maggie desperately. "Right, Mags?"

"Of course it is," Maggie agreed quickly. "Your body's just adjusting so it can grow these little ones all big and strong. There's nothing wrong with finding it hard, especially on your own."

"But you're not on your own, Harry," Louis assured him. "I swear, if you need anything, anything at all, you can call me. Any time. You've got my number."

Harry hiccuped softly, looking down at him with shining eyes.

"S-sorry, I, I'm being embarrassing," he mumbled. "This is just so much harder than I was expecting it to be."

"I'm sorry, love," Louis said softly, rubbing the back of his hand with his thumb. "Let's get this appointment out of the way, and then I'll take you out for lunch."

"I couldn't impose," Harry immediately began to protest.

"You're not imposing when I'm offering," Louis assured him. "And I think I'll call Oli about you having the rest of the week off, so you can get some rest."

"No, no, I need the money," Harry insisted.

"We do give paid leave, y'know," Louis teased carefully. "Besides, I'm insisting."

"Y'know what? Fine, whatever, I'm giving in," Harry sighed, waving a hand at him. "I don't have the energy to argue any more. Let's just... go with whatever. But I will be back on Monday, for my normal shift, okay?"

Louis held his hands up in supplication.

"Whatever you want, love, whatever you want," he grinned.

Harry eyed him suspiciously for a moment, before he huffed softly and laid back on the bed.

"Let's see how the little monsters are getting on, then," he muttered, one hand gently rubbing the side of his slightly swollen stomach as he caught sight of Louis' indignant expression. "I've been listening to Gaga a lot. They seem to like her, especially the A Star Is Born soundtrack, but they're not too keen on most of Born This Way." He shrugged a little. "So they're little monsters."

Louis let out a snort and shook his head in amusement.

"When you two have finished," Maggie raised a pointed eyebrow, before carefully pushing Harry's tee up and squirting the gel onto his bare skin. "We'll get the little monsters on the screen, yes?"

The two men nodded in agreement and dutifully turned their heads to look at the monitor as Maggie moved the wand around over Harry's stomach until the image came into focus.

"Wow... look at them," Louis said softly, his voice full of awe. "They're already so much bigger."

"Y-yeah," Harry stammered, his eyes filling with tears again as he sniffed hard and rubbed at his eyes. "Sorry. Fucking hormones."

"Don't apologise, love," Louis smiled affectionately, and handed over a tissue. "It's completely understandable. And that's an amazing thing to see." He gently squeezed Harry's hand. "Thank you. So much."

"Well, I'd thank you right back, except I'm still not over there being three," Harry joked weakly, tangling his fingers through Louis' unthinkingly. "But in all seriousness, you don't have to keep thanking me. It's definitely an experience. And I'm enjoying it, really. They've not made me actually vomit yet, so I'm counting that as a huge tick in the positive column."

"Definitely a positive," Louis agreed, before he looked at Maggie. "So what else can you tell us, Mags?"

"Well, they're all three in the upper percentile for growth and weight by the looks of it," she told them. "All about the same size, which is good. Looks like you're growing three healthy babies, Harry. Good job."

"Phew," Harry closed his eyes and relaxed a little. "I'll admit that I've been concerned a few times."

"Concerned why?" Maggie frowned, wiping his stomach over carefully.

"Because it's kept feeling weird in my stomach," Harry said, pulling a face. "I dunno how to explain it."

"Well, you'll be starting to feel them move soon enough," Maggie reassured him. "So it could be that."

"Wow, already?" Louis asked, his eyes a little wide.

Maggie chuckled as she pulled the ultrasound images out of the printer and handed them over to Louis while Harry continued to get himself straightened up.

"In the next few weeks, for definite," she nodded. "But I agree with Louis - you need to rest if you're tired. It would be hard enough on your body if you were only growing one in there. But there's three, and they're going to drain your energy at three times the usual rate. So if you're tired - sleep. If you're hungry - eat. If you're thirsty - drink. Try not to let any of your bodily urges be left unattended unless you absolutely have to. I'm obviously not advocating sleeping in the middle of your lectures, or on the reception desk at work. But once you're able to, do whatever you need to do."

"And you have my complete support with that," Louis reiterated. "I always have my phone on for you - if you need anything, at any time, just give me a call, and I'll be with you as soon as I can be. Even if it means driving up from London."

"Louis," Harry huffed, flushing a little pink at the declaration. "I'm really okay. I have Niall in the flat with me. Well, most of the time, anyway. When he's not working. But he's a great friend. And Zayn's said I can call on him."

"Shit, yeah, I'm going out for a drink with him on Friday," Louis grinned. "He seemed happy to hear from me."

"Oh good, he's been doing my head in, all the whining about broken friendships and evil wives," Harry rolled his eyes. "I told him to get a fucking grip already, and just spend some bloody time with you, or I'd lock you both in a room somewhere."

"Well, I'm grateful for whatever you said," Louis assured him with another smile. "He hasn't changed at all."

"I get the feeling that Zayn's not the sort to change much," Harry chuckled, getting to his feet. "Thanks a load, Maggie. See you in four weeks?"

"Indeed, Harry," Maggie agreed. "Hopefully you should be able to feel them all bouncing around in there by then. But I warn you now that the food cravings may kick in."

Harry gazed at her blankly.

"It's fine, we can deal with cravings," Louis promised. "Let's get out of here, love. We'll go grab some lunch. My treat."

"You're trying to butter me up," Harry huffed, tugging his jacket on. "I'm not sure if I appreciate it or not."

"You totally do," Louis told him. "Trust me." He ushered Harry towards the door. "Bye, Mags."

\----------

_ Twenty Weeks _

Harry woke up on the morning of his twenty week scan and blinked around the room, feeling slightly disorientated as he rubbed at his eyes. With a slight shake of his head, he realised where he was: at Louis'.

Over the past few weeks, ever since the last scan in fact, he found himself spending more and more time with his boss and baby daddy, both inside and out of work. He'd discovered that the other man was incredibly entertaining and easy to to be around - especially when it got to the evenings and Harry was curled up on the huge overstuffed sofa, blanket wrapped around his legs and a mug of hot chocolate in his hands. He recalled that this is what had happened the night before, and that he'd nearly fallen asleep in his large mug before Louis had carefully taken the mug from him and set it to one side, before helping him to his feet and through the spacious flat to the guest bedroom, where Harry had practically fallen asleep as soon as he'd clapped eyes on the huge luxurious bed. Louis must have gotten him into bed properly and covered him up with the fluffy duvet, because he sure as hell didn't remember any part of that.

Harry sighed heavily, rubbing a hand over his face. While he appreciated the support, and the constant fussing, he was scared. Scared that he was beginning to develop...  _ feelings _ . This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to just carry these babies to term, have them, and have an instant family with the man, without any pesky little feelings involved whatsoever. What was the harm in that plan?

He rolled his head on his shoulders a little, releasing the slight bit of tension in his neck, before he pushed the duvet back carefully and wriggled himself around to put his feet on the floor. He knew he was going to have to face up to the whole emotions thing at some point, but, he decided firmly, that could happen another day, when he wasn't about to go and see the little monsters he had doing somersaults in his stomach on the regular.

With a low huff, he used the en suite to wash up for the morning, and tugged on a dressing gown he found in the wardrobe, wrapping it tightly around him and firmly tugging the sash into a knot, before he slipped from the room and padded slowly towards the sounds coming from the kitchen.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" he asked in disbelief as he reached the centre island.

"Argh!" Louis yelled, nearly dropping the hot pan in his hand. "Fuck! You scared the shit out of me, Styles!"

"Sorry," Harry shrugged, not sounding at all apologetic, despite his words. "But you're making a lot of noise, and nothing smells too brilliant, if I'm honest."

"I'm trying to make pancakes," Louis glared playfully. "They're a work in progress, though."

Harry stretched up slightly, peering over at the pan.

"That looks like fried scrambled eggs, not a pancake," he observed. "I think you may wanna start over," he added with another shrug.

"Fuck sake," Louis muttered under his breath, glaring gloomily at his attempt at breakfast. "Can you do any better?"

"Probably," Harry nodded. "You want me to have a go?"

"Yes, please," Louis rolled his eyes. "Let's avoid food poisoning, shall we?" He handed the pan over to Harry and took a seat at the island. "You'd think I'd be able to manage simple pancakes, wouldn't you?"

"They're not  _ that _ simple," Harry said slowly. "Your pan's not hot enough. And you've not whisked this enough."

"Whisk?" Louis raised an eyebrow. "I don't think I’ve got one of them, mate."

Harry silently pulled a balloon whisk out of the pot on the counter and held it up.

"Oh," Louis gazed at it. "Is that what it's called? I always call it a cage." At Harry's scoff of disbelief, he got defensive. "What? It looks like a cage! And stuff gets trapped in it!"

"It's a balloon whisk," Harry said patiently, chuckling softly to himself. "But I kinda get where you're coming from."

Ten minutes later, Harry had a pile of light and fluffy pancakes set out on a plate, which he placed carefully in the centre of the island and handed a fork over to Louis.

"I can't believe you actually managed to make them out of the crap I gave you," Louis said, his eyes wide in awe. "I think I may have to actually marry you, Harry."

Harry blinked in surprise, before forcing out a chuckle.

"Let's not go jumping into anything," he commented, trying to sound blithe and not at all like he was freaking out, which he most definitely was, on the inside at least. He bit his lip as Louis took a large bite of the first pancake and let out the loudest, most pornographic moan he'd ever heard in person, making him shift his weight awkwardly. "Uh..."

"Sorry, but fuck me, Hazza, these are amazing!" Louis gushed. "I genuinely think I could fall in love with these pancakes. You're definitely making them again."

Harry blushed hard, ducking his head in embarrassment.

"I mean, if you want," he mumbled, scratching at the back of his neck. "They're just done how my mum taught me. Nothing really special."

"I definitely beg to differ, holy crap," Louis hummed around another mouthful. "I'd even go so far as to say they're better than me mum's, and she makes the best food on the planet, as far as I'm concerned." He gave Harry a big grin. "Thank you for saving breakfast."

"O-of course," Harry stammered, nodding enthusiastically. "You're welcome. Consider it a thank you for letting me crash here last night. Again."

"It's getting to be a bit of a habit, young Harold," Louis grinned. "Not that I mind in the slightest, before you start feeling guilty about it. I like having you here. Makes the place feel a bit more homey. Plus I like having you around so I'm here if you need anything for you and the sproglets."

"People are going to start thinking that I'm getting more than just a bed and some food," Harry sighed, pouring hot water from the kettle on top of a teabag in a mug. "And then there'll be the rumours, and the gossip, and the speculation." He ran a hand over his face as he sat back on his chair. "Maybe I should get a job somewhere else, just for now."

Louis frowned as he looked at Harry, chewing on more pancake, before swallowing hard.

"You don't need to get another job, love," he insisted gently. "If you're not happy at The Manor, then we can sort something out. If people are chatting shit, then I can get Oli to have a word." He shrugged slightly. "Maybe threaten them a little. I dunno."

Harry bit his lip carefully, gazing over at Louis for a few moments.

"No, no," he eventually said. "It's okay. It's just a couple of the porters, anyway. Mark and Phil. They went for my job at the same time as me, and didn't get it." He paused for a moment, then rolled his eyes a little. "Obviously. But they've been a bit miffed at me ever since. I think they think it's my fault."

"Well aren't they narrow-minded dickheads?" Louis grumbled. "I thought we didn't have people like that in our hotel. I'm sorry, love. I'll still get Oli to have a word, cos that's not on. You're all supposed to be comfortable at work, not feeling like you shouldn't be there."

Harry smiled softly and tucked a curl behind his ear - his hair had gotten so long and thick so fast since he got pregnant, but he wasn't complaining - before he nodded slowly.

"Okay, I'll let you talk to Oli," he relented. "On one condition!" He held up a finger and rolled his eyes a little as Louis fist-pumped the air. "You let me work when I'm feeling up to it, or give me something else to do instead - maybe I can work in the back office out of the way?"

"Sharon's always looking for help, so yeah, I don't see that being a problem," Louis shrugged. "I'm just glad you've finally agreed." He grinned brightly. "I only want to do what's best for you, love. I don't want this pregnancy to be any worse than it has to be, y'know? And if I can help by letting you off of work for a bit, then that's a good thing in my book."

Harry huffed softly.

"Well, my mum'll be happier too," he muttered. "She's been nagging just as much as you have that I'm not going to be able to keep it all up - uni and work, while carting three babies around in my belly."

"Your mother is an incredibly intelligent woman," Louis nodded solemnly. "You should most definitely listen to everything she says with great care, and take it all on board."

"She also says that she's concerned about me having gotten knocked up by my boss, and is worried about what it's going to do to my reputation and future career prospects," Harry continued without missing a beat.

"Your mother doesn't always know what she's talking about," Louis changed his tune flawlessly. "You should definitely take her words with a pinch of salt."

"You're so full of shit, Tomlinson," Harry chuckled, taking a sip of his tea.

"Ahh, but you're enjoying it," Louis pointed out. "And you can't even deny it, Styles. I can see those huge craters you call dimples from here."

Harry snickered softly and shook his head.

"Enough silliness," he said after a few moments. "I'm gonna go grab my things together, then can you drop me home so I can get changed and ready for the appointment?"

"Course I can, love," Louis immediately agreed. "Can't wait to see our babies again," he added with a huge bright beaming smile. "See them dancing and wriggling on the screen all excited."

"More like, kicking me in the ribs, the pancreas, the bladder," Harry corrected with a sigh, gently rubbing his stomach. "I'm not complaining in the slightest, but one of them is definitely going to be a footballer - they keep kicking me right in the kidney." He glanced at Louis. "It doesn't hurt, not yet. But I can definitely feel it."

Louis grinned.

"Well, they'd have to be footie players, wouldn't they?" he offered. "We're in Manchester, after all. Home of the mighty United."

"Hmm," Harry agreed absently, then grimaced as he rubbed at his side. "Can you remind me to say to Maggie about constipation, please?"

"I... what?" Louis stared at him. "Constipation?"

"Yeah," Harry nodded. "I don't think I've done a shit in about three days. There's room restrictions going on in there with three babies, I don't particularly want to add to that with a week's worth of crap too." He looked at Louis a little sheepishly. "Sorry. Overshare. I apologise."

"No, no," Louis shook his head quickly. "It's fine, really. I wanna know this stuff. So I can help you to sort it out, y'know?"

"Well, as sweet as that offer is," Harry chuckled. "I just need to know what I can take that's safe for the munchkins. I don't want anything harming them, but at the same time, I don't want it building up so much that it requires a stick of dynamite to sort it out."

Louis let out a soft snort, shaking his head as he cleared the table of their breakfast things.

"Go, grab your stuff, or we're gonna be late," he snickered. "I'll meet you by the front door, I'm just gonna shove all of this in the dishwasher."

Harry grinned and wandered slowly back through the flat, humming quietly under his breath and rubbing at his bump.

\----------

_ Twenty-four Weeks _

"Ow, ow, ow," Harry muttered as he promptly dropped his bag back onto the floor. "Fuck."

"Harry, are you okay?" the friendly voice of Amanda, his photography lecturer and personal tutor asked him worriedly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he quickly assured her. "My back's just pulling a lot at the moment. I tried swinging my backpack up, and it wasn't having it." He let out a slow breath. "It'll be fine in a sec." He shook his head as he chuckled drily. "I think I'm gonna have to relent and let Louis get me one of those annoying trolley things for my books and stuff to go in. Because I can't keep carrying the damn bag on my shoulders." He sighed heavily.

"I think you need to strongly consider taking paternity leave early," Amanda told him slowly. "You look like you're about to pop any day."

"I'm carrying triplets," he replied. "But I'm only at twenty-four weeks right now. Still got a fair old way to go."

"Triplets?" Amanda stared at him in surprise. "I'd guessed it was a multiple pregnancy, but wow. Three in one go."

"Yeah, it's a shock to everyone," Harry sighed. "But at the moment, I'm handling everything. Just... my back's struggling a bit."

"That's no surprise," Amanda assured him. "But if you'd rather stay at home and Skype into the lectures, then that's definitely something we can arrange for you, so that you don't miss anything. But you don't need to actually physically be here."

Harry looked at her, relief all over his face.

"Are you sure?" he checked.

"Oh yeah, definitely," she nodded quickly. "It's something we do offer all of our pregnant students - these things happen, and we're not about to judge or discriminate against you for it." She shrugged a shoulder. "Your health, and the health of your babies, is absolutely paramount right now, and this is a way in which we can accommodate you. You're a good student, and you're actually ahead of your fellow students right now - I've seen your work, Harry, you're doing an amazing job. And okay, so you don't have the opportunity to get out and about as easily to get your portfolio extended as much as the others, but I know that when you are able to, you'll produce the high level of work that I've come to expect from you." She smiled softly. "You're an absolute pleasure to have in my classes, Harry. So I'm more than happy to help you out and give you a bit of leniency."

"Now you're gonna have to stop," he said weakly, sniffing and rubbing the end of his nose. "If you carry on, I'm going to be in floods of tears, and I'm meeting Louis in ten minutes, and he'll freak out."

"Louis? You mentioned him before?"

"He's the other father," Harry smiled, his whole expression softening.

"Ahh, your love," Amanda chuckled.

"No! No, it's not like that," Harry said quickly, reaching a hand out to Amanda desperately. "We're just friends, I mean, uh, kinda? He's my boss?"

"Ooh, a cheeky affair," she teased.

"No!" Harry blushed bright red before burying his face in his hands. "It's not like that." He huffed softly. "There was a complication at the doctor's."

He explained quickly what happened, watching as Amanda's eyes widened in horror and disbelief.

"Oh my god, Harry!" she exclaimed when he'd finished. "That's the most ridiculous and unprofessional thing I've ever heard. How have you not sued that practice to the ground?"

"Because she's Louis' sister," he sighed heavily.

"Wow, you could not make this up," she shook her head slowly. "That's... wow."

"Tell me about it," he mumbled, before glancing at his watch. "Shit, I gotta go, or Lou's gonna be worried. I'll drop you an email later with my Skype address, Amanda."

"That's not a problem," she agreed. "I hope everything goes well with you."

"Me too," Harry chuckled. "We've got my 24 week scan this afternoon. Little wrigglers have been kicking and dancing about in there all day, so it should be an interesting watch."

With a final wave, he lumbered slowly out of the lecture theatre, shrugging his bag up onto his shoulder again, and occasionally touching the wall with a hand to steady his balance. As he approached the lift, a couple of the other students ran past, pushing him into the wall.

"Hey!" he protested, immediately wrapping his arms protectively around his bump.

"Sorry lady!" one of them called back without looking or stopping.

Harry stared after them for a few moments, before his eyes filled with tears and he sniffed hard, grabbing his case and picking up the pace a little to get to the lift. By the time he reached the ground floor and the front doors, where Louis was waiting for him, he was hiccuping under his breath, trying to hold back the sobs.

"Hey, Haz," Louis greeted him cheerfully, before he realised the state Harry was in. "Harry? What is it love? Are you hurt?" He gently ran his hands over Harry's shoulders and arms, quickly taking his bag from him. "Can I do anything? Is it the babies? Talk to me, love."

"N-not the b-babies," Harry managed to stammer out, just as he let out a proper wail and burst into tears, burying his face in his hands.

"Oh god, Haz," Louis put the bag on the floor and wrapped his arms around Harry carefully, pulling him close and holding him gently. "Let it out, love. It's gonna be okay. I'm right here. Just let it all out."

He continued to murmur soft reassurances as he rubbed a hand up and down Harry's back slowly, swaying them a little. Harry clung to Louis helplessly, completely unaware of what was happening around them, as he let go of all of the pent-up emotions that he'd been battling to control for the past few months.

Eventually, he pulled away slowly, sniffing hard as he used his sleeves to wipe at his cheeks, hiccuping hard again.

"S-sorry," he mumbled. "Just... got to be too much."

"You don't have to apologise, love," Louis said carefully, giving him a small smile when Harry lifted his head to look at him. "You feel any better?" he asked, gently wiping a tear off of Harry's cheek with a thumb.

"A little," Harry nodded slowly, smiling weakly.

"Right, I've got your bag," Louis told him, hoisting it back up off the ground and onto his shoulder. "I managed to pick up a trolley for your books this morning though, so you won't have to cart them around like this any more."

"I was talking to Amanda before I came out," Harry said, his voice low and slow as he carefully fell into step alongside Louis. "She says I can Skype in and attend the lectures from home, so I won't need to actually move around with the books anyway."

"What about getting them to and from the library?" Louis asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I --" Harry looked at him for a moment, then huffed. "Fine, I'll use the trolley," he muttered.

"It's only because I worry about you," Louis insisted. "I don't want you to hurt yourself lugging heavy books around unnecessarily."

"I know," Harry grumbled quietly, but truthfully and secretly enjoying the feeling of being fussed over.

He waited until they were settled in the car and on their way to the hospital before he took a deep breath to speak.

"Lou?"

"Yeah, love?" Louis glanced over as he pulled to a stop at a red light.

"Can I talk to you about what happened today?"

"Of course you can," Louis smiled reassuringly. "You can talk to me about anything."

"Okay, uh, well," Harry breathed out slowly, carefully organising his thoughts. "These guys pushed past me when I was on my way to the lift." Louis frowned slightly, putting the car into gear and pulling away, but not saying anything. "And as they got just down from me, one yelled back an apology."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Louis hedged, glancing over again uncertainly.

"He yelled 'sorry lady', before him and his mate started laughing," Harry said flatly.

Louis' expression darkened as he gazed out of the front windscreen.

"I thought that Manchester University was supposed to be progressive and forward-thinking," he said calmly, as though he were discussing the weather, but a slight undertone in his voice belied his barely restrained anger. "I was under the impression that carriers were given the respect they deserve, not treated like we're back in the dark ages."

"They're normally good," Harry said softly. "This is the first time I've directly experienced anything bad," he added with a soft sniff, before he shrugged a little. "Maybe it was an honest mistake. My hair is longer than most guys'."

"That's heteronormative and just as hurtful and damaging," Louis immediately replied.

Harry let out a quiet chuckle and reached out to rest a hand on Louis' knee.

"I know, but it doesn't change the facts," he said carefully. "I would hope that people were more open-minded, but it's a fact that they're not." He sighed softly. "It's fine, I'm okay, the babies are okay. I'm just a melting pot of hormones right now, and feeling a little bit daft now that I've calmed down some."

"You're not daft," Louis said quickly, glancing over again. "I mean it, Haz. You're so fucking brave, and I'm in so much awe at how you've adapted to this whole bizarre situation." He shook his head when Harry blushed and tried to deflect. "No, I mean it. You got pregnant, completely unexpectedly, and through no fault of your own, at only twenty-one, decided to go through with the pregnancy, even when you found out you're having triplets - triplets of all things! - and you're still keeping on top of your uni work. And would probably still be working if I hadn't insisted so much on you giving it up."

"I'm still annoyed about that," Harry managed to interject.

"And that's exactly what I'm talking about," Louis chuckled, flicking on his indicator before he turned the car into the hospital car park. "You're an amazing man, Harry Styles. And I'm so beyond thankful to have you in my life."

"You're gonna make me cry again," Harry mumbled, his throat tightening with emotion. "It doesn't exactly take a lot these days."

"Well, you can cry all you like," Louis assured him. "I wanted to express my appreciation for you, because I think you deserved to hear it. Especially when you've had a shitty day like the one you've had."

"Thank you, Lou," Harry said softly. "It really does mean a lot."

"I know," Louis parked the car with ease, then turned to him with a smile. "How about we go out for a meal after we've seen the sproglets? There's a decent restaurant not too far from here." He eyed Harry for a few beats, before chuckling softly. "Or we can order it to go, so we can get you back home and put your feet up?"

"Oh, that sounds like heaven," Harry confessed. "I'm sorry! I love the idea of a nice restaurant, but I'm so tired, I would be struggling to stay awake, with the mood lighting and soft music." He pulled an uncertain face. "Rain check?" he offered.

"Nope," Louis shook his head. "I'm more than happy to take you home. We'll get you fed, then into bed for some decent sleep, before you even think about looking at your homework."

"But --"

"Nope," Louis repeated. "You've had an upsetting day, so this is how it's going to happen. Please, Haz."

"Fine," Harry sighed, before eyeing Louis as he got out of the car and came around to help Harry out. "So, what's with the Haz?" he asked, trying to sound casual, but obviously failing as Louis froze for a moment.

"I, uh, I didn't even notice," Louis stammered slightly.

"Oh," Harry bit his lip. "I don't mind? It's nice. No one else calls me Haz." He shrugged a little. "Kinda like having a new nickname." He gave Louis a small smile. "I'll have to think up one for you?"

Louis blushed slightly and slipped his arm around Harry's waist.

"Maybe," he relented slightly. "We'll have to see how it goes. I'm not sure you can do very much with Louis that hasn't already been done, though."

"I'll give it a think," Harry said firmly, leaning into Louis' hold as they walked into the practice. "Changing the subject; do you think we'll be able to see more of them today?" he asked, gently rubbing a hand over his bump.

"I hope so," Louis smiled, relaxing a little now that they were on safer ground.

"They've definitely been active today," Harry huffed, grabbing a hold of Louis' hand and resting it on the side of his stomach just as they reached the reception desk.

"Wow, definitely got a couple footballers in there," Louis beamed.

"Well, if they could stop using my organs for striking practice, that'd be awesome," Harry commented sarcastically, before he looked at Tabby. "Hiya Tabby, here for my ultrasound with Maggie. Harry Styles."

"I know who you are," Tabby chuckled softly. "How are you all?" she asked, looking from Harry to his bump to Louis and back.

"We're having a bit of a stressful day, Tabs," Louis told her before Harry could open his mouth to deflect the question like he normally would. "So we're hoping that seeing the babies will make everything sparkly and happy again."

"I'm sure it will," Tabby nodded with a warm smile. "Take a seat, and Mags will be out in a few minutes - she's just finishing up with her previous patient." She glanced at her screen and pulled a face, before leaning forward. "You may want to sit at the far side of the waiting room - you won't really want to bump into her patient. But I didn't tell you that," she added quickly.

Louis and Harry both frowned at her, and then at each other in confusion.

"Who the hell could it be?" Harry asked, completely baffled.

"Oh, you have got to be shitting me," Louis rolled his eyes as it dawned on him. "Why the fuck is she still coming here, of all places?"

Harry looked even more confused for a moment, looking at Louis' face and then over towards Maggie's room, before his expression cleared into a blank one.

"Oh," he said in a small voice. "Your ex?"

"It seems so," Louis muttered, letting out a soft huff. "C'mon love. I don't wanna bump into her myself, let alone subject you to her bullshit."

"Do you think she'd be horrible?" Harry looked at him uncertainly.

"Oh, I know she would," Louis sighed as they took a seat. "She's bitter that I'm gay. That I worked it out before she got pregnant. That I didn't work it out before we got married. That it took something as drastic as cancer for me to realise that I wasn't happy. Take your pick, but I think it's probably a combination of all of it, and then some."

"Don't flatter yourself," a voice icily stated behind them, making both of the men jump and turn to look over their shoulders. "My life does not, and never has revolved around you - even though you're clearly under the illusion that it ever did."

"Good afternoon, Eleanor," Louis greeted her warily, slowly standing and facing her properly. "How are you?"

"Drop the fake pleasantries," she half-spat. "You couldn't give a flying shit how I am, so why bother asking?"

"As you say, pleasant politeness," he said easily. "I trust everything is well, though. As you're here?"

"What the fuck do you care?"

"How about you calm the fuck down and just be as polite as he is?" Harry suddenly interjected, pushing himself up to his feet unsteadily, Louis immediately reaching out to stabilise him a little.

"What the fuck?" Eleanor stared at Harry in disbelief. "You have got to be shitting me, Louis. You fucked this kid and got him knocked up? I thought you were firing blanks these days?"

"I'm not a kid," Harry glared.

"It's really none of your business," Louis said firmly, before looking at Harry and murmuring, "You okay? Take it easy, love."

Eleanor threw her head back with a loud laugh.

"Wow, just, wow," she chuckled sarcastically. "I genuinely did not think I would ever see the day when you would actually care about someone other than yourself or your precious family. But then, if he's playing at incubator, I guess you would be kind." She shot Harry a vindictive look. "I'd be careful, hun - as soon as that kid's out of you, you're gonna be dropped like a hot potato, and you won't see his ass for dust. Better get a prenatal agreement signed as soon as possible - else you're never gonna see the kid again."

"Will you shut the fuck up about shit you know fuck all about, Eleanor?" Louis demanded. "Just fucking typical of you, isn't it? Go around running your mouth about shit, when you barely know your ass from your elbow 99% of the time. Just take a fucking seat and leave people the fuck alone."

"Excuse me, sir, madam," a voice interrupted. "If you cannot be civil, then I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you both to leave."

Louis looked around to find a security guard standing next to him, looking a little threatening.

"Louis," Harry murmured, slipping his hand into Louis' and tugging gently. "We have an appointment. Let her go."

"Yeah, run along, Louis," Eleanor snarked. "Go with your little boy toy and check your bastard kid's not grown horns yet." She looked Harry over again. "Looks like you were cheating on me after all. I may have to pay my solicitor a visit, see if we can get that alimony increased."

"Again, running your mouth about stuff you know nothing about," Louis sighed. "Fine, go ahead, see your solicitor. I'll see mine about harassment and illegal access to medical records. See where that gets you."

"Louis, c'mon," Harry tugged again, a little more urgently.

"Okay, love," he agreed, rolling his eyes at Eleanor, who was rapidly turning colours. "The only thing you need to know, Eleanor, is that I don't love you, I don't want you, you'll never get another penny from me, and Harry here is worth a million of you and then some. So go. Move on. Find someone else's life to ruin, because you can't touch me, or hurt me any more."

With that, he turned on his heel and followed Harry over to where Maggie was waiting for them patiently.

“Sorry about that,” Louis apologised. “Shall we go through?”

Harry waited until they were safely ensconced in Maggie’s practice room before he turned to Louis and pulled him into a tight hug, which was readily returned.

“Hey,” Louis said softly, gently rubbing Harry’s back. “What’s all this, love?”

“Thank you,” Harry mumbled into Louis’ shoulder, squeezing a little more.

“Whatever for?”

“Sticking up for me? For the sproglets?” Harry offered, still showing no signs of pulling away. “For making me feel like I’m not just an incubator for your babies, but a person with feelings that you actually care about.”

“Sweetheart,” Louis started, carefully easing Harry away so he could look him in the eye. “Of course I care about your feelings, and of course you’re more than ‘just an incubator’.” He paused, eyeing Harry speculatively. “Has this been weighing on you?”

Harry shrugged noncommittally.

“Dunno,” he mumbled. “Maybe? I dunno? Crossed my mind a couple times, I guess?”

“Oh, Haz,” Louis sighed softly and pulled him close again, burying his nose carefully in Harry’s neck, breathing him in deeply, before he murmured, “you never ever have to worry about that, love. You are most definitely important to me as a person, independently of our children.” He pressed a gentle kiss to Harry’s jaw as he moved back again, giving Harry a shy smile. “Kinda finding more than a few feelings for you lately, if I’m completely honest.”

“Y-you have?” Harry stammered, his eyes wide in shock, while he felt his heart pounding hard in his chest. “I… I thought it was just me, that I was just being ridiculous and living in a wonderland.”

Louis shook his head, still smiling brightly at him.

“Uh, boys?” A voice caught their attention. “Sorry to interrupt this very beautiful and meaningful moment, but I do have other patients to see after you,” Maggie told them ruefully. “So if we can get on with this now, then you can do the whole sharing of feelings in a bit?”

“Sorry, sorry,” Harry quickly apologised, shrugging out of his jacket and crossing over to the bed, grunting quietly as he wriggled up onto it. “Sorry, Mags.”

“You’re fine, doll,” Maggie winked at him, and shot a grin at Louis. “Now then, how’ve you been?”

“Not too —” Harry started.

“He’s been suffering a lot,” Louis interrupted. “His feet and ankles are really swollen, and his lower back and hips aren’t handling the extra weight and strain very well.”

“Louis!” Harry protested with a huff.

“Mags needs to know the truth, love,” Louis told him firmly.

“He’s right,” Maggie said gently. “I’m going to have a word with Dr Deakin, but I think it’s about time we put you in bed rest.”

“Lottie?” Louis raised an eyebrow. “Is that like… ethical?”

“She’s the only one available today that has experience with paternity care,” Maggie said apologetically. “Obviously she’s no longer your registered doctor, but I want this consult done today.”

“That’s fine by me,” Louis shrugged, but looked at Harry warily. “What do you think, Haz?”

“Um,” Harry looked back at him, before he shrugged a shoulder lightly. “I guess? I mean, you trust her, right?”

“I do,” Louis agreed slowly. “And I promise that there’s no drama going on with her and Tommy right now.” He took in Harry’s tense body language, before squeezing his fingers gently. “I’ll go and have a word with her before she comes in, how about that?”

“Would you?” Harry gazed up at him. “I mean, that would be amazing, but I really don’t want to come between you and your sister, or make things tense or anything.”

“You won’t,” Louis promised, lifting Harry’s hand to press a kiss to his knuckles gently. “I’ll just remind her that these are my babies she’s consulting on, four of them.”

Harry rolled his eyes even as he blushed hard.

“Maybe not go quite that far,” he muttered. “But maybe just a small reminder that I’m not entirely trusting of her as a doctor? If that doesn’t sound too harsh? I mean, I know she’s your sister, but…”

“I understand, love,” Louis assured him.

Maggie nodded at them both, before she picked up the phone and called through to Lottie’s office, asking her quietly to come for a consult, and then hung up again.

“She’ll be here shortly, but while we’re waiting, how about we have a gander at those wee babies, see how they’re doing in there?” She smiled.

“Sounds like a good idea,” Louis agreed with a grin at Harry.

“You’re such a dork,” Harry chuckled, laying back on the bed carefully, tugging his top up over his bump.

Louis poked his tongue out childishly, but stepped up alongside the bed, holding onto Harry’s hand and already looking at the ultrasound screen, not wanting to miss out on anything. Harry shook his head in amusement, lifting one arm up behind his head as he got comfortable. Maggie flashed him a grin as she went through the routine of squirting the cool gel over his stomach and then rubbing the wand through it.

“I’m just gonna grab my measurements, then I’ll let you see,” she told them, clicking around on the screen. “I’ll be as quick as I can.”

“You didn’t do this last time, Mags,” Louis complained lightly. “You let us watch while you were click-clicking.”

“And I got told off for it,” she replied easily. “Measurements are supposed to be taken first.” She glanced over at him with a wry smile. “Sorry love. I’m going as quick as I can though, and everything looks on track.”

Louis let out a dramatic sigh.

“Are you sure you never had any inclinations for the stage?” Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I was in my high school’s production of Grease?” Louis offered.

“Let me guess: Kenickie?” Harry tried.

“Nope,” Louis gave him a smug smile. “Got the lead, didn’t I?”

“Sandy?” Harry fake-gasped.

“Oi!” Louis gently prodded his hip. “Danny Zukko, you little shit.”

"Okay, here you go," Maggie interrupted again, turning the screen to face them.

"Oh..." Harry stared at the screen. "I don't think this is ever gonna get old," he added in a murmur.

"Just imagine what it's gonna be like when we have them here," Louis smiled, his eyes just as fixed on the screen as Harry's.

"It's gonna be amazing," Harry mumbled, before he hiccuped softly.

Louis didn't say a word, just squeezed Harry's fingers a little, as Maggie pointed out details on each baby, and explained that all three were of a healthy weight, and exactly where they were supposed to be at this point of Harry's pregnancy. Just as she asked if they wished to know what gender the babies were, there was a knock on the door.

"Oh, that'll be Lottie," Louis said, glancing reluctantly at the door.

"Hey," Harry gently shook his hand to get his attention. "It's fine, just... let her in."

"Are you sure?" Louis frowned slightly. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable. You're the most important person here right now."

"No, I'm sure, it's okay," Harry insisted. "Please, just let her in? Let's get this over with. May as well get my rest orders sooner rather than later, right?"

"Okay," Louis nodded slowly, before he raised his voice. "Come in, Lotts. Come see your... brother's kids."

The door was pushed open slowly, and Lottie peeped her head around.

"'Brother's kids'?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Louis shrugged.

"Mags was just getting onto the whole gender thing when you interrupted, so..." he trailed off, looking down at Harry. "Do we wanna know what we're having, love?"

"Uh," Harry bit his lip, frowning slightly as he thought. "I... I don't know? I hadn't really thought about it. I mean, I knew that we could find out, but I hadn't really thought much further than the concept of it, y'know?"

Louis smiled softly, gently running his fingers through Harry's hair.

"It's entirely up to you," he said softly. "Whatever you want, I'm happy with."

Harry gazed back at him, before he started to smile softly.

"Okay, yeah," he nodded. "I think we should find out. Then at least we can discuss names seriously." He pointed at Louis accusingly. "We're not calling any of them Barnaby."

"But it's a cute name!" Louis protested. "Barnaby Tomlinson-Styles. It's adorable!"

"It's too much of a mouthful, and will get our kid's ass kicked on the playground," Harry said flatly. "We're supposed to love our kids, not hate them enough to land them with a shitty name."

"Hmm, well, you're a bit boring," Louis sniffed. "Like you can really talk though - your parents totally gave you a stripper name."

"Excuse you!" Harry exclaimed.

"What? You gonna try and deny it?" Louis raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Okay, you two need to calm the fuck down," Lottie put in. "Jesus fuck." She looked at Maggie. "Are they always like this?"

"Pretty much," Maggie agreed. "It's a case of waiting for a gap in their dialogue and jumping in when you can."

"It's just a bit of banter," Louis shrugged.

"Uh huh, it sounds like foreplay," Lottie said flatly. "Now then, why've I been called for a consult, what's going on? Everything looks good on the monitor."

"Harry's been suffering a lot with his lower back and hips," Maggie explained.

"Well, I'm not surprised," Lottie smiled. "Growing three healthy babies in there, it's gotta start to hurt at some point."

"Started hurting about eight weeks ago," Harry commented with a raised eyebrow. "But I'm happy to do whatever I'm told in order to try and ease it in any way."

"Well, I think bed rest is probably the best idea I can come up with right now," Lottie said, glancing over his paperwork. "The babies are fine, they're safe, they still growing. They'd be viable outside of you now - all three, judging by the measurements here - so if you were to go into early labour, then they'd have at least a 50 to 60% chance of a healthy survival."

"So just, stay in bed?" Harry asked.

"Pretty much, yeah," Lottie agreed. "Just make sure you're resting, your feet are up, and you're not walking around any more than you really need to."

"Okay, I think I could handle that," Harry said slowly. "My tutor's already said that I can Skype in for my lectures. And I'm ahead on my work anyway."

"That's good," Lottie nodded. "I'd suggest you make sure you keep your fluids up, eat plenty of vegetables, and just stay as healthy as possible." She gave them both a smile. "Get my big brother to pull his weight." She gently threw a punch at Louis' shoulder. "And now Mags can tell you more about the babies."

"Thanks, Lottie," Maggie smiled. "Okay, Baby One here," she gestured with the mouse on the screen. "This is a baby girl." She glanced back at the two men, who clutched each other tightly. "Baby Two, is a little boy. And Baby Three, back here, another girl." She smiled softly. "I can't be sure, because they've got so tangled around each other, but I think the two girls are possibly identical. But I'll be able to be more accurate at your next scan, if not at birth."

“Lou,” Harry murmured, tears filling his eyes as he gazed at the triplets wriggling around on the monitor.

“I know, love,” Louis whispered, his voice just as full of awe. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”

“Fuck,” Lottie choked, covering her mouth with a hand. “Dammit Lou, I thought I’d be cool and calm, but shit. Look at your babies.” She looked at Louis with a watery grin. “Mum’s gonna flip her shit when she sees those pictures. Think you might actually tell her now?”

Harry turned his head around sharply to look at Louis in disbelief.

“You… you haven’t told your mum yet?” he asked, his voice incredulous.

“Well…” Louis hedged. “It hasn’t exactly come up yet…?” he tried, looking doubtful himself that his words would stand any chance of being believed.

“Come up?” Harry said flatly. “You’ve failed to inform your mum that she’s gonna be a grandmother to triplets, which you have known about for the past five months, because it  _ hasn’t come up _ ?!”

“Uh oh,” Lottie mumbled. “You done fucked up big time, Boo Bear.”

“I —” Louis scrambled to find something to say, while Harry continued to gaze at him, hurt written all over his face. “I don’t know what to say,” Louis eventually whispered. “I kept meaning to. I just, I didn’t know how to approach it.”

“How about, hey mum? Your daughter fucked up, and now my employee is having my babies,” Harry suggested, lashing out at the siblings while he quickly wiped his stomach clean with the paper towel Maggie handed him. “I mean, it’s a fairly accurate place to start, right?” He sniffed hard, tugging his top down over his bump as he swung his legs around off the edge of the bed, Louis quickly moving to help him. “Don’t fucking touch me!” Harry spat. “You do not get to touch me right now!”

He pushed himself up to his feet, quickly dashing his tears from his cheeks with a careless hand, before he grabbed his bag off the chair, ignoring Louis’ repeated attempts to apologise and explain, even though he seemingly had no reasonable explanation.

“Thank you, Mags,” Harry said stiffly. “I’ll contact Tabby to sort out the next scan in a couple of days.”

“Sure thing, hun,” Maggie replied softly, holding a hand out to stop Louis and Lottie from following as she saw Harry outside. “Take care of yourself and those babies, okay? Go home and get some rest. I’ll get Tabby to call you a cab. We can pay for it.”

Harry didn’t say a word, just gave a weak nod as he tried to hold himself together while he waited for the taxi, running his hands repeatedly over his bump, feeling the triplets wriggling around more in response to his elevated stress levels.

“I mean it,” Maggie told him as she saw him into the back of the car a few minutes later. “Try to relax, get your feet up, and leave the Tomlinsons to me. I’ll sort them out, okay?” She squeezed his fingers reassuringly. “It’ll work out, hun. I promise.”

Harry gave her a weak smile as he settled back in the seat and rested his head against the glass as the cab pulled away.

\----------

_ Twenty Eight Weeks _

The past four weeks had been a nightmare, if Harry was being completely honest with himself. Ever since he’d left the Beehive Surgery in the Uber, Louis has been trying to contact him to apologise, to explain, to grovel… Harry had lost track of everything that had been said in texts, WhatsApp messages, voicemails, emails, and in the notes that accompanied the flowers and fruit baskets and gift baskets that had arrived regularly over that time. He’d ignored it all for the most part, only sending a single message per week: ‘have you told your mum yet?’ And with every answer that began ‘no, but —’ he’d deleted and continued to ignore Louis.

Niall had been hovering warily, not wanting to get in the way, or overstep any boundaries, but at the same time he repeatedly dropped the semi-regular suggestion that Harry maybe let Louis in when he was knocking at the door at 8am, in case his continued reluctance to inform his mother had a substantial reason. When Harry had appeared on the doorstep after the ultrasound appointment, Niall had been about to head out for a shift at the pub, and hadn’t seen Harry except in passing for more than a few weeks, since Harry had practically moved into Louis’ flat. After blinking in surprise, Niall had stepped back and helped Harry inside, getting him settled on the sofa with a mug of tea and the TV remote, before he’d disappeared off to work.

Harry let out a heavy sigh as he shifted his weight on the old sofa, his feet propped up on the coffee table (something he’d slapped at Niall for many, many times before this whole debacle had begun), and Jeremy Kyle on the TV in front of him. He knew it was time he gave Louis a chance to explain, or come up with whatever excuse he was going to give, but Harry’s feelings were hurt. He felt like whereas he’d had no choice but to be all in with the situation - it wasn’t like he could just leave the triplets unattended at any time - Louis had deliberately made the decision to not include his mum in the development of their children, and therefore he could still pretend in certain parts of his life that this wasn’t really happening.

Harry rubbed a hand over his face, then chuckled softly as he felt a kick just under his ribs.

“Hey you,” he murmured, rubbing at the spot. “You just woken up, love? Try not to wake your brother and sister, okay? They’re sleeping.”

He smiled as he got another kick, but much softer, in reply.

“Good girl,” he added, before carefully putting his feet down onto the floor, and starting the process of standing up.

He’d gotten ridiculously large in the past few weeks, so any and all movement was beginning to be quite the spectacle. When Gemma had visited him only a few days before, she’d nearly wet herself with laughter as she witnessed his attempts at navigating around the sofa in the small living room to get to the evil smaller kitchen to make her a drink. After he’d gotten in a huff at her, she’d apologised profusely and then arranged with Niall to make sure that everything Harry needed for the day from the kitchen was left within reach on the coffee table, so he didn’t have to try and turn around in the tiny galley.

He hummed softly under his breath as he slowly lumbered towards the bathroom, one hand supporting the underside of his bump, while the other braced against any solid surface nearby. Harry used the loo, grunting as he wriggled back into his joggers before beginning the journey back to the sofa. Halfway there, he paused and frowned, feeling a strange squirmy feeling spreading from the underside of his bump, that was quickly followed up by a sharp stabbing pain that caused him to yell out in surprise, and grab the back of the chair next to him as his knees buckled slightly.

“Fuck!” he hissed. “Shit!”

With a concerted effort, he forced himself to move through the pain, and returned to the sofa properly, where he picked up his phone just as another pain shot through him.

“C’mon kids,” he mumbled. “You still got a ways to go. Stay there, loves.” Harry whimpered as this one lasted a little longer, but unlocked his phone as it eased, his thumb scrolling through his contacts quickly and tapping the screen a couple of times to call.

“Harry?”

“Can you get here please?” he asked. “There’s something… something’s happening. Please?”

“I’m on my way, love,” Louis assured him. “I’ll be there in ten minutes, okay?”

"Lou, I'm scared," Harry whispered.

"It's okay, I'll be there soon, I promise," Louis replied.

Harry could hear him making his way out of the hotel, ignoring calls after him.

"I don't know what's happening," Harry choked. "Are you okay leaving work?"

"Darling, I own the company, of course I'm okay leaving," Louis chuckled softly, the audio sounding tinny as he obviously switched to the Bluetooth hands-free kit in the car. "Especially when it comes to you and our babies." With that, Harry let out another whimper of pain. "Okay, okay, I'm nearly there, I promise!" Louis hurried to reassure him. "Please try and stay strong, love. Everything is going to be fine."

"How can it be?" Harry sobbed quietly. "We haven't spoken in weeks. I haven't left the flat in ten days. I look like a beached whale. And I think I'm losing our babies," he ended on a near-shriek.

"That's not the case at all, darling," Louis said soothingly. "Everything is going to be just fine. I'm literally two roads away. We're gonna get you to the Beehive, and everything's going to be perfectly fine."

"I'm sorry, Lou," Harry cried down the phone. "I'm so sorry I've been so angry."

"Hey, it's entirely my fault, love," Louis told him firmly. "I'm the one who fucked up here, not you. Trust me, Lotts has hauled me over the coals multiple times over the past three weeks." He sighed heavily. "I was actually going to come see you after work today, because I want you to come with me when I tell mum."

"Not a chance," Harry managed to mumble. "You're doing it on your own. I'm not taking any of the heat off of you, simply by being there." He groaned quietly. "You caused this, now you need to live with the consequences. And I thought you said you were two roads away!"

"I'm here, I'm here, there's nowhere to fucking park!" Louis replied quickly. "Oh fuck it."

Harry heard the indicator, a couple of bumps, and then the door opening and closing again, before rushed footsteps and the doorbell going. With a grimace, he pulled himself up to his feet and moved slowly over to the front door, pressing the buzzer to let Louis in downstairs and opening the door in readiness, before he leaned against the wall, panting softly.

"I'm here, love," Louis greeted him, pushing the door open carefully. "Oh, darling. Look at you all."

Harry took one look at him properly, before he promptly burst into tears again, burying his face in his hands as Louis drew him slowly into his arms.

"It's okay, it's okay," Louis murmured repeatedly, a soft litany intended to soothe and calm. "I'm here now, and we're all good. You don't need to be upset any more."

"H-Hurts," Harry stammered out.

“I know, I know.” Louis carefully guided Harry out through the door, grabbing Harry’s keys off the sideboard as they passed it. “Car’s right outside, so not too far to go.”

He managed to get Harry down the stairs and to the main front door, where Harry stopped dead.

“Uh, Lou?” He asked with a raised eyebrow, momentarily distracted from the pain.

“What is it?” Louis asked worriedly.

“Is there a reason why you’re parked on the pavement?”

“Oh… yeah…” Louis looked a little sheepish. “I needed to be here, and there wasn’t a proper space - you have double yellows outside - so…” he trailed off with a shrug.

“So you ignored the double yellows to park on the pavement?” Harry asked in amusement.

“Yeah?”

Harry let out a snicker, before leaning in to press a kiss to Louis’ cheek.

“Doofus,” he murmured affectionately, before grimacing as his stomach pulled again.

“In we get,” Louis immediately said, trying to hide how flustered he’d gotten as he tugged open the passenger door and helped Harry into the car.

Within twenty minutes, Louis was pulling the car into the car park at the Beehive Surgery, and Harry was beginning to feel a little foolish - the pains had settled down on the journey, and the babies were still shifting around like normal. He bit his lip as Louis hopped out of the car and came around to help him.

“You okay, love?” Louis asked, his voice soft and caring.

“I, uh, yeah,” Harry stammered. “I just, um. It doesn’t hurt now?” he offered, cringing a little.

“Well, it clearly did half an hour ago, so let’s get you checked out now we’re here,” Louis told him, a gentle smile on his face. “C’mon, love. You’re not going to be wasting anyone’s time, so don’t be worrying about that.”

Harry huffed, but walked with Louis in through the front doors and up to the reception desk.

"Harry, Louis!" Tabby greeted them both cheerfully. "We're not expecting you until tomorrow. Is everything okay?"

"Harry's been experiencing some sharp pains this afternoon," Louis said pleasantly. "We thought we'd better get him in and checked over."

"Ooh, yes, definitely," Tabby agreed, quickly pressing the emergency button on the desk. "Maggie and Lottie will be here in just a second."

"It's not an emergency," Harry protested weakly. "The pain's backed right off now. I'm okay."

"It's better to be safe than sorry, love," Louis insisted, gently squeezing his waist. "Let's just get you all checked over, okay?"

Maggie and Lottie both appeared at the desk a moment later.

"What's wrong, are you okay?" Lottie looked Harry over worriedly. "What did you do, Lou?"

"Hey, I didn't do anything," Louis protested.

"I went to the loo and then when I was going to sit down again, it felt like something had sliced up the underside of my stomach," Harry said quickly, before the siblings could get into it. "But it's settled down again now."

"Let's get you into a consult room," Maggie said gently. "We'll get you checked over, and take a look at those babies now, make sure everything's as it should be."

Harry let out a soft sigh, but dutifully followed Maggie over to the consult room, leaning heavily on Louis as he got up onto the bed. He watched quietly as the two women bustled about, working together to get everything set up quickly.

"Sorry, hun," Maggie flashed Harry a quick grin as she pulled the ultrasound machine over. "I normally have this all prepared and ready to go when you come for an appointment." She flicked a switch on the front of the machine. "But we're nearly ready now, so I'll do the physical before we get to the scan, okay?"

"Whatever you need to do," Harry shrugged lightly. "I trust you, Mags."

He lay there quietly, answering the questions when Maggie asked, his eyes never drifting too far from Louis, who hovered at the side of the bed looking like he wasn't too sure what to do with himself. Harry could see that the time apart hadn't really been particularly kind - Louis' face looked slightly drawn, the shadows under his eyes a little dark, the clothes he was wearing were a little looser - which made him frown worriedly. While he was far from happy with what had happened, he didn't want Louis to physically suffer for anything. Harry sighed and reached out, grabbing hold of Louis' hand to hold him in one place.

"You okay?" Louis asked him anxiously.

"Yeah, I am," Harry nodded. "But you don't look it." He squeezed Louis' fingers gently. "We'll talk after this, okay?"

Louis nodded as he watched Maggie finish up and pull the machine closer.

"I'm sorry again," Louis said softly. "I've made a mess of everything."

"It's okay, we can fix this," Harry reassured him quietly. "Let's just get through here first."

"Okay, Harry," Maggie spoke up before Louis could reply. "You know the drill by now; gel, wand, picture." She gestured for him to slide his tee up, before squirting the cool gel over his skin. "I think I know what was happening, but let's get a quick shufty at the little folk before I have a chat with Lottie."

Within a few moments, Maggie had Baby One, then Baby Three, and finally Baby Two on the screen, all three of them squirming around and wriggling as they should be. She clicked around a little, before turning to Harry and Louis with a smile.

"All perfectly normal and healthy," she reassured them promptly, her words causing both to let out matching sighs of relief. "I'm just going to confer with Lottie about what I think the pain was, and then I'll be back with you. But I'll leave the babies up on the screen for you to watch." She handed the wand over to Louis. "Just hold this here, or move it around carefully, and you'll be able to see them."

"Thanks, Mags," Louis said quickly, his eyes wide at the prospect of being given responsibility for a hefty and expensive piece of equipment.

"Hey," Harry murmured. "You're just being asked to wave that around on my stomach, not perform a C-section. Calm your shit and watch your kids on the damn screen."

"Yes, sir," Louis smiled. "Let's go over here." He slid the wand over the smooth surface of Harry's skin, finding Baby Two again. "We really need to start thinking about names," he commented offhandedly.

"I think first we need to think about telling your mum," Harry pointed out. "And the sooner the better. I'm not sure that showing up on her doorstep with three actual babies in tow is the best way of announcing that she's going to be a grandmother."

“Which is something I’ve been telling him for the past six weeks,” Lottie commented drily as she and Maggie returned. “Obviously I can’t say anything myself - patient confidentiality laws have got his ass protected - but I have repeatedly tried to corner him into it when we’ve been at Mum’s.” She rolled her eyes. “Clearly it hasn’t ever worked.”

Louis glared a little.

"I just thought that really, Harry should be with me," Louis hedged.

"Nope," Harry shook his head. "Not from the start, anyway. I'm not going to be the shield for you to hide behind. Because if your mum's anything like mine, then she is definitely going to yell. And she wouldn't if I was there. So you can definitely face the music on your own." He glared at Louis pointedly. "I'll come see her once she knows what's going on."

"She's gonna kill me," Louis groaned pathetically. "Like, literally. These kids aren't going to grow up with a Dad, cos he'll have been murdered by their Nan."

"You are so dramatic," Lottie rolled her eyes. "She'll be annoyed and pissed off at you, yes. But she won't do anything too physical to you - she'll know better than any of us what it's like for Harry carrying multiples." She squeezed Harry's hand with a grin. "She'll probably wind up giving you a shitload of advice that you never knew you needed or wanted."

"Isn't that what all mums do?" Harry wondered.

"A valid point, young Harold," Louis agreed, ducking his head slightly when the other three all glared at him in varying degrees of severity.

"So anyway, we worked out what happened," Lottie said, gently squeezing Harry's knee. "It's ligament pain. I'm actually surprised you haven't experienced it before, with how big the babies are getting. But it's perfectly normal - as your stomach muscles stretch, the ligaments can catch a little as they move with the muscles to support your growing bump. Absolutely nothing at all to worry about, everything else looks perfectly normal." She gave him a warm smile, before narrowing her gaze at Louis. "Unlike my twat of a brother."

"Okay, okay, I'll go talk to Mum today," Louis caved. "I'll take her something cute to soften her up or something."

"Don't be using my children as emotional blackmail for your mother," Harry said in a warning tone. "I'm not saying the past few weeks have been fun - far from it - but I'm perfectly willing to do the same again until you pull your finger out of your ass."

"I promise, I'll go see her this afternoon," Louis swore. "I want her to know you before the sproglets come along, and I think she'll probably want to meet Anne and Robin."

"Of course," Harry sighed softly. "Mum's been on at me about meeting your family too. So it's definitely going to be a two-way thing."

If Harry didn't know any better, he'd say that Louis turned a few shades paler at his words.

\----------

Later that afternoon, Louis pulled his car into the driveway of his mum's home, with Harry in the seat beside him, and Lottie in the back.

"I still have no idea how the fuck you managed to convince me to come with you," Harry grumbled under his breath.

"He's got a silver tongue," Lottie piped up. "He's always managed to talk people into doing what he wanted them to. Incredibly irritating when we were kids, cos it usually meant he was getting me into trouble and himself out of it." She gave Harry a wicked grin. "Unless it was Mum he was up against. She always saw through his bullshit."

"That's enough from you, thank you very much, Charlotte Elizabeth," Louis interjected as he tugged the handbrake up and flicked the ignition off. "Right," he began, unclipping his seatbelt and turning to look at them both. "I'm gonna go in and talk to Mum. Lottie, you wait out here with Haz - I don't want him left on his own in case one of the kids comes out and scares the shit out of him." At Harry's indignant look, he elaborated. "The littlest twins are terrifying at times, and the older twins are nosy little fuckers."

"That's our siblings you're talking about," Lottie halfheartedly protested.

"Are you saying I'm wrong?" Louis asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lottie shrugged a shoulder in reply.

"So, I need to try and what, hide? If I see them?" Harry asked sarcastically. "It's not like I'm small enough to duck down into the footwell anymore."

"I can run interference if need be," Lottie assured him. "But if you don't move your ass in there, Lou, Mum's gonna be out here asking what the fuck you're doing sat in her driveway and not going in. So crack on."

"Right, fuck, yes," Louis rubbed a hand over his face. "Okay. I'll give Lotts two rings when it's safe to come in."

"Fine, fine, just get going," Lottie waved a hand, shooing him out of the car and watching as he walked up to the front door. "This is gonna go epically wrong, I can see it now."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, biting his bottom lip worriedly. "You don't think your mum's gonna be happy?"

"Not about this," she quickly reassured him. "She's gonna be over the freaking moon about being a Nan. But she's gonna be extremely pissed at Lou for not telling her earlier." She sighed heavily. "I really don't get it. We've all always being able to talk to Mum. She's amazing."

Harry glanced back at her.

"I've always got that from what Louis' said about her," he said carefully. "So why do you think he's not told her about this?" Harry gently rubbed his stomach, feeling the babies wriggling around inside him.

"The only thing I can think is that he's either embarrassed, because he wanted this done, like, 'properly'," Lottie rolled her eyes as she held up her hands to gesture air quotes around the word. "Or, because he didn't want Mum to have a go at me. Either are strong possibilities."

"What do you mean, properly?" Harry frowned for a moment, then tilted his head. "Like, with actual intercourse?"

"That, and in an actual relationship, I guess," she sighed. "I'm not sure it has really dawned on him that the intercourse part isn't a likely possibility anymore, after the treatment he had and all that. But the relationship was definitely something he would've preferred."

Harry nodded slowly.

"I guess that's understandable," he said slowly.

"But I think he's getting that part anyway," Lottie said, smirking a little. "A little on the unconventional side, but since when has Louis ever done anything conventional?"

Before Harry could reply, Lottie's phone buzzed in her hand.

"Time to go?" he asked.

"Time to go," she agreed, pushing open her door and sliding out, before opening the door for Harry, helping him out onto the driveway.

"I am genuinely terrified right now," he mumbled, running a hand through his hair, while the other fussed with straightening his top. "What if your mum's angry?"

"Oh, I think she's going to be," Lottie nodded, leading the way up to the front door. "But I can completely guarantee that exactly zero of that anger will be aimed at you. It'll all be on me and Lou. We're the ones who fucked up, love. Not you."

"You say that like it means anything when it comes to emotional responses," Harry mumbled, taking a deep breath as he followed Lottie in through the door and down the hallway to the kitchen.

"Hey Mum," Lottie called out in greeting. "How's it going?"

"Lottie, love," a gentle voice filtered out to where Harry was waiting. "Is what I'm hearing from your brother the truth? You messed up some poor young lad?"

"Jeez, you put it that way and it sounds like I beat the shit out of him," Lottie grumbled, leaving Harry outside the kitchen as she stepped through the open door.

"Language, Charlotte Elizabeth."

"Okay, that's twice I've been middle-named today, can you all let up and leave me in peace?" Lottie huffed.

"Not when you've been messing up at work," the voice continued, a slightly sterner edge to it. "How did you even manage it?"

"I dunno, Mum," Lottie admitted. "I literally cannot work out what the hell happened that day. I know I was upset because of Tommy, but I just don't understand how I screwed up that badly."

"Well, to be honest, it worked out for the best," Louis interjected, the sound of his voice alone making Harry smile. "I'm far happier that it's turned out this way." There was a pause, and then some inaudible murmuring, before Harry could hear anything clearly again. "Haz?" Louis called, and then he appeared in the doorway. "Hey," he said softly, smiling up at Harry and taking both hands in his. "You wanna come meet my mum?"

"Uh, y-yeah," Harry nodded slowly, then shrugged a shoulder. "May as well. I'm here and all."

Louis beamed at him and stepped backwards, carefully leading Harry through.

"Mum?" he said, not taking his eyes off of Harry. "This is Harry. He and I are going to be parents."

Harry bit his lip as he looked around for Louis' mum, his cheeks flushing as he found himself in the presence of a beautiful woman, who - in his opinion - certainly did not look old enough to have two children in their mid-20s, let alone be a grandmother within the next couple of months.

"H-hi," he stammered.

"Hello, love, I'm Jay," she smiled warmly. "I'm so happy to meet you, at last."

"A-at last?" Harry frowned in confusion, looking at Louis quickly. "But I thought you hadn't told her?"

"Not about the babies, no," Jay assured him. "But he hasn't shut up about you for weeks."

Harry blushed even harder and ducked his head shyly.

"Oh," he mumbled. "Uh, well. It's an honour to meet you. I can see where Louis and Lottie get their looks from."

"Ooh, this one is definitely a keeper," Jay told Louis firmly. "I can completely understand why you'd rather have kids with him than the... person you were married to."

"That pause was Mum forcing herself not to swear," Lottie interjected. "She still thinks she needs to protect our young ears from the harsh words, and completely forgets that Louis says worse than she can ever imagine just by stepping out of his house in the morning."

"That's enough from you, missy," Jay chastised her. "Just because I'd rather think of you all as the perfect little angels you were as children is my own business, not for you to mock."

"Anyway," Louis rolled his eyes pointedly. "Like I said, this is Harry." He pointed to Harry's stomach. "And in there are your three grandchildren."

" _ Three _ ?!" Jay half-shrieked. "You didn't tell me there were  _ three _ ?!"

"Surprise?" Louis half-shrugged, then ducked slightly at Harry's glare. "What? I didn't want to share everything without you here. Let me have at least some remnants of fun here."

Harry huffed softly, but nodded at Jay.

"Yeah, there are three," he confirmed. "Two girls and a boy. Mags thinks the girls are possibly identical, but she can't be sure yet."

"Oh my goodness," Jay choked softly, covering her mouth with one hand as she stared at Harry's bump, before taking a step closer and holding out a hand nervously. "May I?" she asked, flicking her gaze back up to Harry's face. "I don't want to presume."

"No, no, of course," he quickly agreed. "You're their nan, of course you can meet them."

Jay beamed at him brightly, before taking an extra step and resting her hand gently on the side of Harry's stomach, grinning even harder as she felt them tumble around under her touch.

"I always seem to forget how amazing that feels," she murmured in awe. "It was always the bit that shocked me most of all each time I got pregnant - how it felt to have them moving around. Especially with the two lots of twins." She paused and gave a pointed look at Louis. "Although that one there could barely keep still from the first moment I felt him. I think he was practising to be a footballer from the word go."

"Well, it's not like it happened, is it?" Louis grumbled, then spotted Harry's raised eyebrow. "Blew my knee falling out of a tree in high school. Needed a bit of surgery, and the docs said not to play on it again."

"That sucks," Harry said softly.

"Yeah, it does, but it meant I wound up with the hotels, so I guess it's not too bad," Louis shrugged. "Everything happens for a reason."

"It is what it is," Lottie chimed in with a smirk.

"That's enough from you," Louis glared at her.

Harry looked between them in confusion.

"You'll have to get Lou to show you his tattoos," Lottie gave a sly wink.

"Uh, okay?" Harry looked even more baffled.

"Just ignore them, love," Jay told him. "They're siblings. They wind each other up like nobody's business." She rolled her eyes. "I always find it best to just let them get on with it."

"O-okay," Harry nodded slowly. "Um."

"Would you like a drink, Haz?" Louis asked. "Then you can sit down - I'm sure your back's not too happy with you right now for standing upright for the past ten minutes - and we can show Mum the ultrasound video and photos?"

"Please," Harry nodded gratefully, flickering a small smile. "That would be amazing."

"Give me just a sec," Jay said, holding up a finger. "I've got a cushion you can use. Trust me, it'll make everything feel amazing again. I know exactly where it is, I'll be right back."

With that, she bustled out of the kitchen and footsteps could be heard on the stairs as she ran up them. Harry bit his lip and looked at Louis uncertainly.

"It's going fine, love," Louis assured him gently. "She already likes you, I can tell."

"Definitely does," Lottie agreed. "But she's a sap for anyone Louis likes."

"Shut it, you," Louis sighed, before returning his attention to Harry. "But I mean it, love. It's going to be fine. And if she's getting you the cushion, you're definitely in the right place."

"What is the cushion?" Harry asked with a frown.

"It's the only thing that genuinely kept Mum sane through both twin pregnancies," Lottie said with a chuckle. "It helps support your bump, I think? Or your back? I don't know, it always seems like sheer magic to me," she finished with a shrug.

"That's because it is," Jay's voice came from behind a massive cushion in the doorway. "Believe me when I say that this will literally be the best thing to happen in your life throughout the last couple months of your pregnancy," she added, peeping around at Harry. "C'mon through to the living room, I'll show you how to use it and you can experience the wonder for yourself."

"You're definitely hyping up the cushion, Mum," Louis said in amusement. "I hope it doesn't let you down and leave Haz feeling really underwhelmed."

"Trust me," Jay reiterated, before turning on her heel to walk through to the living room.

Harry looked at Louis helplessly, but followed slowly, one hand resting on his lower back, while the other supported his bump a little, gently stroking where one of the babies was kicking repeatedly. He found Jay waiting patiently for him alongside the sofa, with a bright grin on her face.

"C'mon, love," she said, sounding so much like Louis that Harry felt his heart lurch a little. "Sit down here, that's it, and put your leg there..."

Harry moved around as he was told, trying to work out what was going on as he was seemingly intertwined with this tube-shaped pillow, until he relaxed back when Jay told him, and an unexpected sigh escaped him as he felt all the stiffness and pain he'd not even realised he'd been feeling, slowly eased away.

"Oh..." he murmured softly.

"Exactly," Jay nodded knowingly. "And if you sleep with this at night, you'll actually be able to get out of bed properly in the morning, instead of having to roll out onto your hands and knees and try to work out how to get up from there." At Harry's shocked look, she smiled. "Been there, done that, had the rug burn to prove it at the time, until I was given this by one of the mums whose baby I'd delivered. She said it saved her life, and then it saved mine, twice over." She gave Harry's bump an affectionate look. "Only right it saves someone else's too. Or at the very least, saves your sanity."

"Aren't they one and the same at times?" Harry asked quietly.

"Most definitely," Jay agreed, sitting down next to him.

"Thank you for this," Harry gave her a small smile as he gestured to the pillow. "I really appreciate it."

"Of course, love," Jay grinned. "It's not like you don't deserve it. Hell, anyone having a multiples birth deserves it." She shook her head. "I think they should be issued to everyone as soon as they know that you're expecting more than one. They definitely help with literally everything."

"I had no idea I even had half the aches that this has apparently eased," Harry chuckled.

"Exactly," Jay nodded, before she looked at him. "So, I need to ask something. How do you feel about my son, Harry?"

"Wow, straight in there with the big questions, huh?" he chuckled awkwardly. "Um, I dunno what you want me to say."

"The truth," she shrugged. "I know how Louis feels about you - lord knows the lad won't shut up about you at all. It's quite sweet, to be honest." She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "So I just need to know if my boy's going to get his heart broken."

"Not by me!" Harry blurted out, before his eyes went wide. "Uh, I mean. Um." He huffed and flushed hard. "Sorry. But yeah. I care about Louis. A lot more than I was expecting to, if I'm completely honest."

"Okay," Jay nodded slowly. "I can live with that." She grinned. "That can develop into something else. Especially if my son gets his head out of his arse and actually talks to you." She shook her head slowly. "I swear, I raised him better than this - and he's being entirely ridiculous."

"How do you mean?" Harry looked confused.

"I promise that I raised him to actually talk about his feelings," Jay elaborated. "And tell people what he thought and how he felt about them. Not keep it all bottled up inside him, just because he's scared." She sighed softly. "Although I can understand that he's scared."

"I can't," Harry mumbled. "I'm just a kid in comparison to him."

"Not at all, darling," Jay reassured him. "You're just the person he needs, if you ask me. He'd gotten far too serious lately, especially after the cancer last year. I really thought at one point that I was going to lose my eldest child, and that scared the shit out of me, in the most literal sense. But he got through it, he got rid of his awful wife, he found his truth. And then he found you. And you have made him so very happy these past few months, Harry." She frowned slightly. "Except for the last month, but I'm sure there was a reason for that."

"I found out that he hadn't told you about the babies," Harry said drily. "Then refused to talk to him."

"Oh, well, yes, that would definitely do it," she chuckled. "What a daft lad."

"Yeah, but I called him earlier because I thought something was wrong," Harry sighed, rubbing his hand over his stomach slowly.

"What happened? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, it was the muscles and ligaments stretching out to accommodate my bump," Harry explained. "No one mentioned it to me at all, let alone told me to expect sharp pains from it." He huffed softly. "But I guess it helped in some respects. I'm here now, and you know about your grandchildren."

Jay smiled softly.

"You're exactly where you should be, love," she promised him. "Now that you're part of the Tomlinson/Deakin clan, I promise you, we're not going to let you go any time soon."

Harry grinned shyly and ducked his head, a feeling of warmth spreading over him and filling him with contentment.

\----------

_ Thirty Two Weeks _

"Oh for fuck's sake," Harry grumbled as he knocked another half-empty mug of cold tea on the floor.

"Everything okay, love?" Louis called from the kitchen.

"Not really," Harry replied, looking balefully at the mug on its side. "But it can wait."

Before he'd even finished speaking, Louis had appeared in the doorway.

"Oh love, what happened?" Louis chuckled softly.

"I was more asleep than awake, I guess," Harry sighed. "Thought it was further away than it was. Wasn't looking. Knocked it on the floor. And it's cold anyway."

"Would you like a fresh one?" Louis asked, picking up the chinaware and cleaning up the spill with the cloth.

"Nah, it'll just go cold again. But maybe some water? I can drink that straight away, so there shouldn't be the risk of me falling asleep while waiting for it to cool enough for me to drink it."

"I can definitely do that," Louis nodded, then glanced at the clock. "You got a lecture in ten minutes as well?"

"Oh fuck, I'd forgotten," Harry sighed heavily. "I really wish I didn't have to."

"No you don't," Louis pointed out, taking a seat on the sofa beside Harry. "You love it."

“Not right now, I don’t,” Harry grumbled. “The last three lectures, Amanda’s had to disconnect my Skype call because I’ve fallen asleep, and my snoring has been a distraction.”

“She should learn to mute you then,” Louis suggested.

“She can’t, in case I have a question about the material.”

Louis huffed softly.

“Is there any way you can have one-to-one tutorials about it?”

“She doesn’t have time to essentially give the lecture twice, Lou,” Harry said tiredly. “It’s fine, I’ll record the lecture, then listen to it through, and email her if I have any questions. I think that’s probably the best resolution.”

Louis gave him an affectionate look, before leaning over and gently pulling him into a hug, smiling more as Harry sank into it easily.

“It’s gonna work out,” Louis assured him. “All of it. Uni and your classes, and these ever-growing sproglets.”

“And us,” Harry mumbled into Louis’ shoulder.

“Pardon?”

“I said,” Harry sat up a little and ran a hand through his hair. “I said, ‘and us’. We’ll work out, won’t we?”

Louis blinked slowly.

“Do you want us to work out?” he asked carefully.

“Yes,” Harry said firmly. “I definitely do.” He eyed Louis, immediately guessing where his thought processes were going. “And I don’t mean just as co-parents. I want to be with you, as your partner, your other half,” he paused for a moment, then took a deep breath before he continued. “And eventually, your spouse. I’m all in.” He held up a finger as Louis opened his mouth to say something. “And if the next words out of your mouth are relating to my hormones, Stockholm Syndrome, or anything remotely similar, you can sleep on the sofa tonight.” Louis shut his mouth with an audible snap. “I know exactly how I feel about you, Lou. And you’re not going to convince me otherwise.”

“Well,” Louis gazed at him, a slightly stunned look on his face. “I’m not entirely sure what I’m meant to say to that, to be quite honest.”

“Seriously?” Harry raised an eyebrow, before rolling his eyes. “When Lottie said you were emotionally constipated, I didn’t think she meant quite to this extent!”

“Oi!” Louis gently prodded Harry’s side. “I am not emotionally constipated! And why are you having conversations about my emotional state with my sister behind my back?”

“Because you’d never let us talk about it in front of your face?” Harry shrugged.

Louis spluttered, before huffing and sitting back on the sofa with a grumpy look.

"Okay, fine," he muttered. "I feel the same way, are you happy now?"

Harry beamed at him.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" he teased, before leaning over awkwardly to press a kiss to Louis' cheek. "It'll work out, like you said."

"I suppose we could get you moved in properly?" Louis said warily. "Like, all your stuff?"

"Um," Harry looked around the living room, where his textbooks were scattered on the coffee table, his shoes lined up alongside Louis' beside the sofa, a t-shirt thrown carelessly over the back of one of the chairs, and a selection of his DVDs stacked up next to the television.

"Or, y'know, not," Louis added, looking around as well. "Because it seems like it's all already here."

"Yeah..." Harry looked a little confused. "I don't really remember any of it happening, though?"

"Me neither," Louis shrugged a shoulder. "But at least it saves us actually going to the effort? Like, borrowing a van or whatever to get your belongings over in one go."

"I guess," Harry mused. "I just didn't realise that I'd actually moved in. I always thought it would be a bit more... monumental. The first time I moved in with a boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?"

"Are... you not my boyfriend?" Harry looked slightly worried.

"No, I mean, yes, yes," Louis said quickly. "I just... I haven't been someone's boyfriend in a long time. I almost wasn't expecting it."

Harry gazed at him for a moment, before he burst into a fit of giggles, curling around his bump as he chortled.

"What?" Louis asked, unable to help joining in with Harry's infectious laughter. "What's so funny?"

"Surely you must've known once you were in a relationship with someone, you'd be called their boyfriend?" Harry eventually managed, wiping his cheeks of the tears from his amusement.

"It didn't exactly occur to me in that format, no."

"Fucking hell, you're perfect," Harry told him with a bright smile. "And I'm pretty sure I'm well on the way to falling head over heels in love with you."

Louis gazed at him for a beat, before leaning over and gently pressing a kiss to his lips.

"I know I'm falling in love with you," he replied in a soft murmur, smiling as Harry beamed at him. "And I can't wait to spend the rest of forever with you."

\----------

_ Thirty Six Weeks _

"Hello?" Harry answered his phone absently, tucking it between his ear and his shoulder as his fingers flew over the keys of his laptop, throwing out word upon word of his assignment.

"Hey love, how's it going?" his mum's voice came down the line.

"Hey Mum, not too bad," he replied, frowning slightly at his screen. "Just trying to get this assignment finished and emailed."

"You're cutting it a bit close, aren't you?" Anne asked, the frown evident in her tone. "Isn't it due tomorrow?"

"Yes, I know, but I slept for most of the morning, and now I've actually got a coherent idea of what to write," Harry explained. "It's the last one of the semester though, so at least I know that once it's in, then I'm done for the holidays. Which is good, because I still haven't worked out what I'm getting Louis for either his birthday or Christmas, so I really need to get that ordered as soon as."

“When’s Louis’ birthday?” Anne demanded. “You never told me his birthday was coming up! I’ll have to get him something!”

“Mum, no,” Harry signed. “You don’t need to buy him a present for his birthday. He doesn’t even really want a present from me. I’m just being stubborn.”

“I’ll decide who I buy presents for and who I won’t, Harry Edward Styles,” Anne told him primly. “Now, date?”

“Christmas Eve,” Harry relented. “He used to tell his mum that he was her gift.”

Anne snickered at him.

“Well, he wasn’t wrong,” she chuckled. “We all consider our children to be gifts, my love. As you will yours, I’ve no doubt.”

“Hmm,” Harry replied absently, his attention refocused back on his assignment, as his fingers raced over the keys.

“Okay, clearly you’re not listening to me any more,” Anne chuckled. "Good luck with the rest of your assignment, love. I'll talk to you later."

"Yeah, okay, love you."

He put his phone on the table as he kept typing, finishing the assignment within the hour. After a final scan over the completed document, he grinned as he attached it to an email and sent it off to Amanda, with a note wishing her a Merry Christmas. As his laptop made the whoosh sound that indicated that the email had been sent, he slowly stood and stretched his arms up over his head with a low groan, while he considered going to get himself a mug of tea. Dropping one to the side and rubbing the other hand over his face, Harry let out a sigh, before he slowly looked at the floor in mild horror, feeling the gentle gush of liquids escaping him, signifying the breaking of his waters.

"Well, fuck," he muttered under his breath, before he grabbed up his phone quickly and immediately called Louis.

"Hey, love," the familiar voice promptly soothed his frazzling nerves. "How's your assignment going?"

"All finished," Harry said slowly. "But I think I'm gonna need you to come home."

"Everything okay?" Louis' voice instantly took on a concerned tone. "You sound a bit off."

"Well, uh," Harry carefully stepped away from the table, eyeing the dirty floor. "My waters have just broken, and it's made a bit of a mess? Contractions haven't started yet though," he added quickly.

"Okay, well, I'm gonna leave work now, and I'll be home within twenty minutes, hopefully," Louis assured him, the sound of people calling out 'good luck' as Louis passed them audible to Harry. "Think you'll be okay for that long?"

"Yeah, of course," Harry agreed. "I'm pretty calm, surprisingly. I'll grab the bag out of the bedroom ready, so we can just go?"

"As long as it's not too heavy, love," Louis warned him.

Harry smiled as he heard the sounds deaden on the other end of the phone, making it clear that Louis was in the car.

"You've already got the car seats fitted, right?" Harry checked, even though he already knew that the answer was yes, because he'd been standing outside the car in the December chill as Louis got them checked over by one of the authorised car seat fitters.

"I have," Louis assured him. "I promise I'm on my way. You wanna call your Mum?"

"I only spoke to her earlier," Harry grumbled. "She'll get all panicky and want to come over."

"Don't you want her here when the babies get here?" Louis asked. "I thought you were considering it the other day?"

"Yeah, but she fusses," Harry sighed. "Oh shit! Get off the phone. I need to do something and I need my phone."

"Okay?" Louis snorted softly. "I'll be there soon. Love you!"

Harry blinked slowly, his eyes widening. In spite of their conversation four weeks prior, no further mention had been made of their feelings, especially not in relation to that very specific L word.

"What?"

"What, what?"

"Oh no, Louis Tomlinson, you don't get to pretend you didn't just say that."

"Say wh- oh fuck," Louis choked. "That... that was not supposed to come out over the phone."

"Uh huh," Harry said disbelievingly. "I cannot believe you went there right now. I'll see you in a bit."

"Bye, love," Louis hung up quickly.

"What a dickhead," Harry shook his head, gently rubbing his bump, before he felt a sharp pain shoot through him. "Okay, ow. That wasn't nice." He let out a slow breath and braced himself on the back of the chair as the pain intensified for a moment, and then slowly eased again. "Right, let's get birthday and Christmas ordered, seeing as you three want to come now."

Which is where Louis found him just over twenty minutes later, swaying his hips to and fro slowly as he rested his arms on the back of the chair, and focused intently on his phone as he tapped quickly on his phone, ordering pre-wrapped presents with printed gift tags so he wouldn't have to worry about a thing when it came to Christmas Day.

"You're a sight for sore eyes," Louis told him with a chuckle.

Harry glanced over his shoulder at Louis.

"I'm timing my contractions and ordering Christmas presents," he informed him.

"A multitasker, I'm impressed," Louis nodded. "How's it going?"

"Currently at about nine minutes," Harry sighed softly, rocking his weight again. "I texted Mags, so she knows it's started, but she said not to bother going in until they're down to seven at the most." He glanced down at the floor. "I put a towel over the most of it, but I couldn't get down to crawl under the table for the rest."

"Don't worry about it, love," Louis assured him, leaning over to press a kiss to Harry's cheek. "I'll sort it out. Or get someone to come in and deal with it. We just need to make sure that you and these beautiful babies of ours are safe and healthy."

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but instead grabbed a hold of Louis' hand as another contraction tightened his stomach. He grit his teeth and breathed slowly through the pain, frowning in concentration.

Louis waited patiently for the contraction to pass and Harry's grip to loosen before he wiggled his fingers carefully.

"Sorry," Harry panted softly. "Been trying to focus on my breathing and inner calm, or whatever."

"I think you're doing a brilliant job, love," Louis said softly. "Can I get you anything?"

"A drink would be good?" Harry suggested. "Just some water, I think. Please. That was eight and a half minutes, so we're getting there."

"Have you called my mum?" Louis asked as he made his way to the kitchen.

"I thought you'd wanna do that," Harry sighed, slowly easing himself down onto a chair. "I didn't want her to freak out if I was at the other end of the phone instead of you."

"She wouldn't freak out, babe," Louis placed a full glass on the table next to him. "She's very level-headed, my mum."

"Well, I guess, all those kids, she'd have to be."

"Exactly. Takes a lot to shock her. Trust me, both Lotts and I have tried many times."

"I bet you were an absolute nightmare when you were kids," Harry chuckled.

"Uh huh, specially when Lotts managed to get Fizz to take the blame for a lot of things," Louis smirked. "But then I'd try and keep Fizz out of trouble, so I usually ended up getting the punishment I deserved." He shrugged. "Bit of chaos never killed us though."

"Gems and I were pretty quiet, to be honest," Harry mused. "We'd squabble, but nothing massive." He pulled a face and gripped the arm of the chair a second later. "Ow." He let out a slow breath after a few moments. "Okay, that was eight. This is going a little quicker than Mags reckoned it would."

"Do you wanna head to the hospital now?" Louis asked carefully.

"I think it might be an idea. I don't want to wind up having them here, and you having to catch all three of the slippery buggers," Harry joked, starting to push himself back up to his feet.

"Excuse you, are you trying to suggest that I would drop our children?" Louis asked, putting on a snooty air, which was somewhat ruined by the tender way he helped Harry to stand.

"No, babe, I wouldn't dare," Harry grunted softly as he found his balance. "But I think I would rather be in a hospital setting with a trained midwife and nurse around so that everything can go as smoothly as possible."

"An excellent plan," Louis nodded. "I've got the bag, so let's get this show on the road."

"Uh huh. Because Manchester in December is going to be an absolute dream to navigate," Harry muttered in a sarcastic tone, letting out a grimace as he stepped outside into the cold. "Can you make all the other cars disappear?"

"Sure, love," Louis agreed, opening the car door for him. "I'll wave my wand and send them off somewhere else. Just so we can get to the hospital within a few minutes."

"Thanks, babe," Harry grinned. "I knew you'd understand."

Louis rolled his eyes and shut the door, before jogging around to the driver's side.

Thirty minutes later - the journey taking ten minutes longer than they’d planned for - they were pulling into the car park, and Harry's contractions were down to every six and a half minutes.

"Good job we left when we did, huh?" Louis asked with a smirk, opening Harry's door with the bag in his hand.

"Yeah, yeah, go get me a wheelchair," Harry grimaced and swung his legs around to get out of the car. "Fairly certain that attempting to walk would be a mistake of epic proportions."

"Oh I completely agree," Louis nodded, making sure that Harry was going to stay put before he rushed to the hospital entryway to grab a wheelchair, slipping a little on ice as he came back. "You'd definitely have been on the ground, babe. There's ice all over the pavement."

"They're doing an excellent job of maintaining patient safety then," Harry muttered sarcastically.

"Now, now, no snippy comments about the nice hospital, love," Louis chuckled, shutting the car door and pressing the lock button on his keys, before shoving them in his pocket and slipping his hand through the handles of Harry's overnight bag as he grabbed the wheelchair again and started off towards the hospital. "Mags say she's meeting us here?"

"Yep," Harry replied tightly, too busy focusing on his current contraction to answer Louis properly, before he let out a heavy breath. "Oh fuck, that was an unnecessarily harsh one." He glanced awkwardly over his shoulder at Louis . "I'm never letting you knock me up again, Louis Tomlinson."

Louis burst out laughing as he pushed Harry into the emergency room reception where they found Mags and Lottie waiting for them.

"What are you doing here, Lotts?" Louis raised an eyebrow, still chuckling.

"Mags called me in so I can get you through all the red tape of admittance," Lottie grinned. "Besides, did you really think I'd miss the birth of my nieces and nephew?" She eyed Louis speculatively. "Have you told Mum?"

"Yes, she's on her way," Louis rolled his eyes. "She's just waiting for Dan to get home from work, then she's going to swing by and pick up Anne, and they'll be here together as soon as they can."

"Sorry to interrupt your little chit-chat, but I'm kinda having three babies here," Harry interjected in a snarky tone. "And they're getting a bit impatient."

"Right! Where to?" Louis demanded, looking to Maggie for direction.

"Follow me, we're heading through to Maternity and the Labour Ward," Maggie told him.

"I'm hoping there's a Labour Suite in there too," Harry muttered. "I think I'm literally about to pop these three out right now."

"It's all ready, sweetheart," Lottie assured him. "Unless someone else has arrived in the past five minutes, we've got it all set up for you." She huffed softly. "This is exactly why I keep telling the others that we need to expand Beehive. It would make so much more sense if our patients could give birth there, where they're comfortable. But no, apparently that's too much of an expense." She rolled her eyes, then caught sight of Louis' disbelieving look. "What? I'm annoyed by my partners at the practice, is that so wrong?"

"Not at all, love, but could you save your ranting for another time?" he asked. "Like, when we're not rushing down a corridor with my boyfriend about to give birth?"

"Fine, fine," Lottie grumbled under her breath. "But I do have to say that the facilities here are exceptional. You're going to be comfortable, Harry, I promise."

"Not comfortable at this precise moment, babe," Harry assured her. "Feels more like the biggest shit I've ever needed to take is trying to make its way out of me."

"Don't push!" Maggie demanded. "We're just in here!"

She pointed Louis into a room on her left, which was, as promised, all set up ready for their arrival - the bed was in place, there were three cots for the babies, and the music that Harry had so carefully selected was filtering through the sound system. As soon as he heard the quiet and reassuring tones of Fleetwood Mac, Harry immediately felt a significant amount of tension leave him, feeling like this may actually be going to plan, more than he could've ever expected it to.

Maggie and Louis helped him to get out of the wheelchair and changed quickly into a surprisingly flattering hospital gown, before he was assisted up onto the bed.

"If the gown starts to feel uncomfortable, just say," Maggie was telling him. "You can wear whatever you're happiest in, even if that's nothing."

"Don't tell him that, or our mums will get here and he'll have everything hanging out all over," Louis said quickly.

"Oi," Harry grumbled, squirming around in the gown and pulling at the ties to unfasten it again. "It's not my fault everything makes my skin feel all tight and twitchy and weird."

"So, naked?" Maggie asked, helping him off with the gown again as he nodded. "Not a problem, honey. Nothing I haven't seen before. Probably going to be easier on you too." She threw the gown onto one of the counters. "Right, I need to check how dilated you are, Harry. This does involve me putting my fingers into you. Are you comfortable with that?"

Harry shot a nervous look at Louis, who squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"M'right here," Louis murmured. "Not going anywhere, I promise."

"O-okay," Harry stammered out slowly, nodding once at Maggie. "Go ahead."

He took a deep breath as Maggie pulled on a pair of gloves and slicked her fingers up with a small amount of gel lubricant, before she reached between his legs and inside him, making him flinch.

"Sorry, honey," she said softly. "Nearly done." A moment later, she pulled back carefully and tugged the gloves off, dropping them in the nearest sterile bin. "You're fully dilated, honey. Baby number one is locked and loaded, ready for you to push at the next contraction."

"Oh fuck, fuck," Harry whimpered softly, clutching tighter at Louis' hand. "Louis, I've changed my mind."

"You have?" Louis raised an eyebrow. "What about, love?"

"This!" Harry half-shouted, gesturing at his stomach and lower half. "I'm just, y'know, gonna head home? I'll see you later?"

"Not sure it really works like that, baby," Louis murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Harry's temple. "Think you've reached the point where you just need to ride it out." He gently rubbed Harry's back. "I'm right here, and I'll be here for it all. We can get through this, I promise. I'll never let you down."

"Don't start quoting Rita Ora at me in some lame attempt to distract, because it won't, oh fuck, work!" Harry finished his sentence in a half yelp as a particularly rough contraction hit and he bore down with all his might, screwing his face up in concentration.

Louis held him through the whole thing, offering a drink of water as Harry collapsed back against the pillows at the end.

"You're doing so well," he whispered. "I'm so in awe of you right now."

"Only now?" Harry sassed. "You mean you're not always?"

"Well, of course," Louis chuckled. "But more so right now. You're doing such an amazing thing. And you look so beautiful."

"Now I know you're lying," Harry snorted. "I'm hot and sweaty and probably covered in amniotic fluids, and I'm gonna be covered in even more before I'm done because I have three of these little shits of yours to push out of me."

"I know, my love," Louis nodded slowly, smiling softly. "And I'm so thankful, I don't even have the words to say it enough."

"All I can say is, I'd better get three decent push presents out of this," Harry told him seriously.

"Push presents?" Louis looked confused.

"Oh c'mon Lou, you must have heard of push presents," Lottie put in. "Gifts bought for the person who's given birth - especially if they've actually pushed them out. It's like, something really extravagant and luxurious, as a thank you for working so hard getting the babies out."

"That is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard," Louis said flatly.

"Me too, I fucking hate the idea," Harry agreed, arching his back and tightening his hold on Louis' hand again. "Fuck! I am definitely not enjoying this. Holy fucking hell." He looked up at Louis. "I mean it, Tomlinson. Never again. You get three in one go, that's your lot."

"Whatever you say, darling," Louis said in amusement, leaning down to press a soft kiss to his lips. "That's your push present - a blank cheque for demands. I'll do whatever you wish of me for the next year."

"Make it eighteen and we have a deal," Harry smirked.

"I cannot believe you two are joking around, when there are three babies on their way," Lottie rolled her eyes. "You're so fucking weird."

"Not weird, just... us," Louis grinned at her.

"Yeah, weird," Lottie nodded.

Louis and Harry chuckled, before another contraction hit, distracting them away from the topic at hand.

\----------

_ Thirty Minutes Old _

"Have you stopped staring at them yet?" Lottie asked Louis, clearly amused.

Harry lifted his head tiredly, a happy and content smile on his face as he watched Louis with their son and one of their daughters in his arms, before looking down at their other daughter and gently stroking her cheek with a fingertip.

"Nope," Louis replied shamelessly. "Probably not going to for a while, either."

"Have you at least got names worked out?" she asked, leaning against the end of Harry's bed.

"Yes, but I think that should wait for when Gran and Nan get here," Harry said softly, his voice raspy and slow with fatigue. "I'm fairly certain my mum would kill me if she wasn't here to be the first to know."

"And you know full well that Mum'd be the same, Lotts," Louis glanced up to glare pointedly.

With that, there was a knock on the door, and Maggie came in, followed by two already-emotional grandmothers.

"Hey Mum," Harry tiredly greeted Anne, who promptly burst into tears. "Not quite the reaction I was expecting."

"Definitely the one I was anticipating," Louis chuckled, coming over to sit on the edge of the bed next to Harry, so their three children were together. "Hiya Mum. You ready to meet the sproglets?"

Jay looked like she was pretty close to losing control of her emotions as well, but managed to keep on top of them as she came over, resting a hand on Louis' head.

"C'mon then, love," she said softly, her voice cracking slightly. "Who've we got here?"

Harry nodded at Louis reassuringly, before resting his head against Louis' shoulder.

"This is Matthew Elijah," Louis started, nodding down at his left arm. "And Evelin May," he added, with a nod to his right. "And Harry's got Sydney Rose." He pressed a kiss to the top of Harry's head. "They're all going to be Tomlinson-Styles'."

"Oh, Louis," Jay breathed out slowly, her eyes welling up with tears. "They're beautiful names." She looked a little confused, glancing over at Anne. "Are any of them for your family, Anne?"

"No," Anne shook her head quickly, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

"We thought that they should have their own names," Harry mumbled sleepily. "Completely free of all expectations, no one else's name to carry." He yawned into the back of his hand. "Mm, especially with how they came to be. We want them to be their own people. And we wanted them to understand just how much we love and want them. By coming up with their own names, instead of giving them someone else's."

"That was incredibly rambly, but essentially, yes," Louis said in amusement.

"Come talk to me when you've given birth three times in ten minutes," Harry glared playfully. "Then we'll see how coherent you are."

"Not very, guaranteed," Louis conceded, before he leaned over to press a kiss to Harry's cheek. "Thank you, darling. They're beautiful, and perfect, just like you."

"Now you're sucking up and I'm not sure I appreciate it," Harry finished on a yawn.

"How about we let the grandmothers have cuddles, then you can get some kip?"

"Mm, excellent idea," Harry agreed, easily handing Sydney over to his mum. "Wake me up if they need anything. Love you all."

Within seconds, he was completely relaxed, well on his way to dreamland, leaving Louis with their mums. He handed Matthew to Jay, then looked at Anne uncertainly.

"I was hoping to talk to you without Harry around," he glanced down at the slumbering man. "But I guess unconscious works just as well." He cleared his throat and shifted awkwardly.

"You'd better not be asking for his hand in marriage, Louis William," Jay interjected. "The ink's barely dry on your decree absolute, don't you dare jump straight into something else this quickly!"

"But --" Louis started.

"No, no," Anne shook her head. "I completely agree with your mum, Louis. You need to make sure that what you feel for Harry is real first. Don't just propose to him as some sort of knee-jerk reaction of propriety or obligation - he'll work it out, and he'll end up resenting you for it." She slowly rocked Sydney, smiling as the baby girl yawned at her, before she looked up at Louis again. "I'm not saying don't be with him. I'm saying, give it time." Anne shrugged a shoulder. "Go on dates, get to know each other, argue, make up. All of that. Then, when you both reach that point - and believe me, you'll know it when it gets there - you'll have my full blessing to propose to my boy. But only when that time comes."

"I completely agree with Anne," Jay nodded. "We just want what's best for both of you, love. And you diving back into another marriage, after only just getting away from the She-Beast with your sanity intact - because let's face it, it's partly because of her that we're even here today - is really not the best idea you've ever had." She leaned up to press a kiss to Louis' cheek. "I love you a lot, my boy. And I can see that you care about Harry. Let it grow into a proper love before you go down that route. And don't forget, you have three other little lives depending on you now. They have to be your first priority now."

Louis sighed softly, gazing down at Evelin in his arms.

"Okay, yeah," he relented. "Thanks for the advice, both of you."

Harry slowly let out the breath he'd been holding. He'd been on the verge of unconsciousness when he'd heard Louis' first statement about wanting to speak to Anne, and couldn't help but drift back closer to being awake as he listened to their conversation. Part of him was incredibly grateful to his mum and to Jay for interceding as they did - he really didn't feel like he was ready to get married any time soon, even if he was parent to three children. But the part of him that had already decided that he was head over heels in love with Louis was half-sobbing in grief for the what-could-have-beens. Forcing himself to be a little rational, he repeated what his mum had said - not never, not break up, just not marriage now.

His final thought as he slowly succumbed fully to sleep was that maybe the wait would be a good thing - eventually.

\----------

_ Twenty Months Old _

"The following students have achieved a Bachelor of Arts, First Class Honours Degree, in Photography," the compere stated into the microphone.

"Oh finally, this is Harry's group," Louis whispered to Jay, bouncing a giggling Sydney on his knee. "As soon as he's crossed the stage, I'm gonna get these three out of here, before they completely lose all sense of propriety."

"They're not even two, love," Jay chuckled softly, tickling Evelin lightly and making her squeal and squirm, before handing her over to Anne. "I don't think they really understand what propriety is yet."

"Besides, they're your kids," Gemma shrugged, before she pulled a face at Matthew. "Like propriety would ever be in their vocabulary."

"Excuse me," Louis huffed, as Lottie snorted into her hand.

"Harry Edward Styles," the compere droned.

"Woo!" Louis yelled, standing up quickly and holding Sydney up like she was a trophy. "Go on babe!"

"Daddy!" Sydney shrieked, spotting Harry as he climbed up onto the stage, and garnering the attention of her two siblings, who immediately started looking for him.

"Daddy?" Evelin asked Jay and Anne quietly.

"Daddyyyy!" Matthew bellowed, making Gemma flinch slightly at the unexpected volume, while Lottie continued to giggle.

Harry stopped mid-stage to accept his certificate and handshake from the Dean of the University.

"Your children, I presume?" the Dean commented, glancing into the audience.

"Uh, yeah," Harry blushed. "Triplets. They're uh, twenty months old? Sorry, my fiance was supposed to be keeping them under control."

"Ahh, but this sort of thing is no place for young children," the Dean chuckled. "Go, be with your family, young man."

"Thank you, sir," Harry nodded, blushing harder as he moved the tassel from one side of his mortarboard to the other.

"Congratulations," the Dean said, with finality.

Harry nodded again, then half-stumbled off the stage, nearly tripping over his own feet as he came down the steps and by-passed the section of seating he was supposed to be returning to. Instead, he made his way down the aisle towards his family, locking gazes with Louis, who was still standing, having handed Sydney over to Jay, and wearing the biggest, proudest smile he'd ever seen, while their mums and sisters fussed over the kids.

With a few mumbled apologies, Harry made his way along the row, getting his robe caught on shoes and bags and knees, but reaching Louis eventually.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Hey yourself," Louis grinned. "Proper uni grad now, huh?"

"Mmhmm," Harry nodded. "Got letters after my name and shit."

"Shit," Evelin said firmly.

"Oh god," Harry ran a hand over his face. "I'm normally so good around them!"

"That's why she copied you as soon as you said it," Louis snickered. "But anyway." He tangled his fingers through Harry's. "Pretty damn proud of you, my love."

"Thank you," Harry murmured, his cheeks still pinkish from his conversation with the Dean, and only flaring a little brighter at Louis' words. "Feels pretty damn good."

"As it should, as it should," Louis nodded.

He gazed at Harry for a few moments, before Harry took a deep breath and a step closer, bending down to kiss Louis firmly, which was immediately and enthusiastically reciprocated.

"By the way," Harry eventually mumbled against Louis' lips.

"Hmm?"

"Should probably get a move on with the wedding."

"Oh?"

"Mmhmm."

"How come?"

Harry carefully pulled him over to the side of the marquee.

"Well, remember how the docs at your last checkup said you weren't completely sterile?" he said softly against Louis' ear.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this, please leave a kudos or a comment.
> 
> Or reblog my tumblr post [**_HERE_**](https://reminiscingintherain.tumblr.com/post/189634332480/harry-the-virgin-reminiscingintherain).


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